tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2709546415013897232024-03-05T13:28:59.697-07:00yourLDSNeighborhood NewsstandWelcome to the Neighborhood Newsstands. Here you will find the catalog of Newsstand articles on Art, Books, Clothing, Home and Family, Jewelry, Preparedness, Dutch Oven Cooking, Humor, Missionary Work, Movies, New Neighbors (which includes travel, tradition and culture), Scrapbooking, Movies and SportsyourLDSneighborhood<br>.com® Neighborhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665172974605063092noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-22095829504309711102008-09-12T20:52:00.001-06:002008-10-04T21:52:15.849-06:00On the Newsstands September 11, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: "The Art of Giftwrap"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Gaynell Parker on <span style="font-style: italic;">Musings from an LDS Writing Mom</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQn7mFihFlUZ3kfzfhJOBBiLJ6GKySlUPXG_zLN2HrT7hC2QbFLqohqcynGM7B3a-Pz2c2ApYspOFO9kkhM1gSuKxysEFC3-bi2enKbeLxKTryiolk5bT1sCXVP21UBcRANFqWHmCwbc/s1600-h/giftwrap.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 93px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQn7mFihFlUZ3kfzfhJOBBiLJ6GKySlUPXG_zLN2HrT7hC2QbFLqohqcynGM7B3a-Pz2c2ApYspOFO9kkhM1gSuKxysEFC3-bi2enKbeLxKTryiolk5bT1sCXVP21UBcRANFqWHmCwbc/s400/giftwrap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253501297888338962" border="0" /></a>I attended a wedding shower over the weekend, and it was full of women, friendly chatter, yummy food and opening presents. I guess the whole games thing has gone by the way, which is okay by me -- we had enough fun just chatting. But what was fun were the presents! One of them, made up by my sister, was a large wok full of fun kitchen utensils. Only, instead of wrapping the whole thing up in paper, she took two different colors of tissue and stuck them in between the different things so it looked like a crazy pot of color. It was great.<br /><br />Many people I know feel that gifts are a waste of time. Or at least gift wrapping is -- but I love the look of a wrapped present. There's nothing more delightful to me than to see a stack of gorgeous wrapping and the creativity that people come up with. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/09/art-of-giftwrap.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: "Glenn Close"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Linda Scanlan a.k.a. L.S. Keilbart on <span style="font-style: italic;">I Knew I Could Fly</span><br /><br />My last entry spoke of good-hearted, wholesome dramas including "Sarah Plain and Tall" starring Glenn Close. Today I would like to look at the actress a little closer and share some of her diverse talents.<br /><br />Though born in the states, most of Glenn's education was received overseas. "As a high school student at Greenwich's Rosemary Hall, the actress organized a touring rep-theater group and performed a number of folk-singing gigs." (<a href="http://www.starpulse.com/Actresses/Close,_Glenn/Biography/">Source</a>)<br /><br />Her career was jump-started when <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/celebrity/George_Roy_Hill/P94375/0/">George Roy Hill</a> spotted her performing on stage and asked her to audition for Garp's mother in the movie "The World According to Garp", which premiered in 1982. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/09/magical-movie-moments-damages.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom"</span><hr />by Alison Palmer on <span style="font-style: italic;">Tangled Words and Dreams</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBV05xZ1umjNzWPS_qvqP-VZvnRI7PAjcV914UtJ16VGt3VhtF8bML0pT8iZUbiPSBVV0gpnMr75HXMe7lbE-24JbCZ14CLD45WQ4ZP4ot23-QQELL_xhScjg4T7BKTGsnSouSnebFs_4/s1600-h/tuesdays.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 95px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBV05xZ1umjNzWPS_qvqP-VZvnRI7PAjcV914UtJ16VGt3VhtF8bML0pT8iZUbiPSBVV0gpnMr75HXMe7lbE-24JbCZ14CLD45WQ4ZP4ot23-QQELL_xhScjg4T7BKTGsnSouSnebFs_4/s400/tuesdays.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253503105930476178" border="0" /></a>I just made a new friend. Well, okay, I’ve never really met him, nor will I be able to anytime soon. I value his friendship just the same. Morrie is the kind of best friend everyone should have. Yep. I finally got around to spending my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTuesdays-Morrie-Young-Greatest-Lesson%2Fdp%2F076790592X%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1220880047%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3ETuesdays%20with%20Morrie%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important">Tuesdays with Morrie</a>. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTuesdays-Morrie-Young-Greatest-Lesson%2Fdp%2F076790592X%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1220880047%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3ETuesdays%20with%20Morrie%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important">Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson</a> by Mitch Albom was a national best-seller several years ago, but like most things popular in the national market, I eyed it with suspicion and stuck to my already lengthy list of books to read. I’m sure if I would have paid closer attention to what the “critics” were saying about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTuesdays-Morrie-Young-Greatest-Lesson%2Fdp%2F076790592X%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1220880047%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3ETuesdays%20with%20Morrie%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important">Tuesdays with Morrie</a>, I might have actually read it then; but, I’ve tried a few of those so called inspiring titles and found many of their messages significantly lacking in inspiration or even good writing in some cases. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/09/tuesdays-with-morrie-by-mitch-albom.html">Read More</a><br /></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: "Necessary Accessories"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Nichole Giles on <span style="font-style: italic;">Nichole's Fairy Squeaks</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShs67xNQyBKThA_OSysGe_NL9aJmNLUbF1_9hkm7Aoa5uCBOazVTMa9J1V8auLhBL0C1zFfpIor5LFzmQESXjbVMjMqsBq1rlBkAYmL6BWpQBsFso_GvkW0EzXyxj8EbIy1qslWnmmA6j/s1600-h/belts.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243730364612963938" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShs67xNQyBKThA_OSysGe_NL9aJmNLUbF1_9hkm7Aoa5uCBOazVTMa9J1V8auLhBL0C1zFfpIor5LFzmQESXjbVMjMqsBq1rlBkAYmL6BWpQBsFso_GvkW0EzXyxj8EbIy1qslWnmmA6j/s320/belts.jpg" border="0" /></a>Whether or not you are a jewelry wearer, you probably wear accessories daily—without more than a split-second thought. If you’ve been reading my blogs from the beginning, you already know that the jewelry umbrella covers a lot more than rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets.<br /><br />For instance, the wallet or purse you carry is an accessory. As is your cell phone. Yes, I did say cell phone. Haven’t you noticed they come in a countless array of colors and styles—and can be accessorized according to personal taste? Hats—even when doing yard work—qualify, as do nail polish and glasses.<br /><br />Whether you choose these things for their color or style, or simply for the practical functions they offer, owning one or several of these types of things is a regular part of living in modern society. Face it, we become dependent on…stuff. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/09/necessary-accessories.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: "Blogger in Arizona Needs Help"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Candace E. Salima on <span style="font-style: italic;">Dream a little dream...</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In lieu of my usual Health & Food column this week, I am posting this about the Nielson family of Arizona instead. Please, read through and find it in your hearts to keep them in your prayers and, if possible, help them with their medical bills.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nierecovery.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.reachelandrew.com/NieRecovery/Images/Nie-Recovery-Button.png" vspace="10" align="left" hspace="10" /></a>I first learned of Stephanie Nielson's plight when I read a New York Times article, which I have included in its entirety here:<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">After Blogger's Plane Crash, Virtual Becomes Personal</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;">By <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?ppds=bylL&v1=ALEX%20WILLIAMS&fdq=19960101&td=sysdate&sort=newest&ac=ALEX%20WILLIAMS&inline=nyt-per" title="More Articles by Alex Williams">ALEX WILLIAMS</a><nyt_byline version="1.0" type=" "> </nyt_byline></span> <div style="text-align: justify;" class="timestamp"><span style="font-size:85%;">Published: September 6, 2008 </span></div><div> <!--NYT_INLINE_IMAGE_POSITION1 --> </div><p style="text-align: justify; font-style: italic;">WHEN a small private plane carrying Stephanie Nielson, a young mother who lives in Mesa, Ariz., crashed in eastern Arizona three weeks ago, Katja Muggli, a graphic designer in Munich, said she felt as if there had been a tragedy in her own family — and in a virtual way, there had been. </p><div style="text-align: justify; font-style: italic;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify; font-style: italic;" id="articleInline" class="inlineLeft"><div id="inlineBox"><div class="image"> <a href="javascript:pop_me_up2('http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/09/05/fashion/07burn.1.ready.html',%20'07burn_1_ready',%20'width=720,height=600,scrollbars=yes,toolbars=no,resizable=yes')"> </a>Her husband, Christian, was also injured. </div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify; font-style: italic;"><a name="secondParagraph"></a> </div><p style="text-align: justify; font-style: italic;"><a href="javascript:pop_me_up2('http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/09/05/fashion/07burn.1.ready.html',%20'07burn_1_ready',%20'width=720,height=600,scrollbars=yes,toolbars=no,resizable=yes')"> </a>Ms. Muggli, 34, has never met Ms. Nielson. But as a blogger and single mother, she was an avid follower of Ms. Nielson’s blog, <a href="http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/">the NieNie Dialogues</a>. The site, a diary of home life that she started in 2005 for close friends and family, had attracted a small but ardent following, thanks to its upbeat dispatches about marriage, home décor, entertaining and the art of raising four children ages 6 and younger. To her admirers, she was Supermom. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/09/blogger-in-arizona-needs-help.html">Read More</a><br /></p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: "Make it from Scratch"</span><hr />by Keith Fisher on <span style="font-style: italic;">The Camp Cook in the Backyard</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Everywhere I go, people ask me where I get my recipes. I always give them a blank stare and tell them, "In my head." Judging by the looks I get, some of them think I’m being curt and don’t wish to give out my secrets.<br /><br />It’s true, I’m planning to publish a cookbook, but it’s also true that I cook by feel, it does come from my head. I once had a person watching me, writing down what I do and what I add to a recipe, and when I finished, I couldn’t believe I’d done what the instructions said I did.<br /><br />I call it, by the seat of your pants cooking, and everyone does it. Many cooks tweak a recipe, they add something they think will make the recipe better. It usually works, because as eaters we know what we like, and we trust our taste buds. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/09/making-it-from-scratch.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br />Home & Family:<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: "What Will Your Stash Be?"</span><hr />by Barbara Salsbury on <span style="font-style: italic;">Three P's in a Pod</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In today’s blog I want to present a practical part of preparedness. Having been through many different kinds of disasters, including being without employment or a paycheck for over eighteen months,I have a different perspective than many on what is needed to really be prepared. But prepared for what?<br /><br />For hard times and down times it is extremely important that you are able to have comforting things, and that includes comforting things to eat. (This is above and beyond – or perhaps before - the requisite “preparedness supplies.”) -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-will-your-stash-be.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscape: "Drawing Butterflies to your Yard"</span><hr />by Heather Justesen on <span style="font-style: italic;">Heather Justesen</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I have several more blogs to write on the ins and outs of pond building, but decided to take a break today to discuss another favorite plant from my yard. The butterfly bush puts out a great show of blooms with some blooming from early spring to mid summer and others from mid summer to mid fall. The blooms are anywhere from white, to pink, blue to purple and there is even a variety that produces white, pink and purple all on the same bush. The flower spikes draw butterflies, bees and hummingbirds to your yard as well. Also known as summer lilac, this plant is a native of China, but was first brought to England in the 1700s.<br /><br />Hardy from zones 5 to 10, this plant is suitable for xeriscape, and does well in full sun to part shade. No parts of the plant are known to be poisonous. The flowers are fragrant and add great color to a corner or back of a border. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/09/draw-butterflies-to-your-yard.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Metafores and Asimiles"</span><hr />by C.L. Beck on <span style="font-style: italic;">Write Up My Alley</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I’m sure I’ve never met a fore or a simile that I didn’t like. That is, if I could remember what a metaphor or a simile is. There’s a composition and grammar book sitting on my desk that I refer to constantly, but when I went to look those terms up, my glasses had gone into hiding and the words looked like little ants. However, my less than 20-20 vision did tell me I could learn about meta-sores and similax in the book. (This might also explain why my <a href="http://southernfood.about.com/od/biscuitrecipes/Biscuit_Recipes.htm">biscuits</a> are as heavy as bricks and just as tasty when I follow a recipe without wearing my glasses,)<br /><br />Eventually the glasses turned up in the laundry basket and after putting them on, I immediately started on matters of high priority. I opened my email and found the joke of the day from the "<a href="http://www.gcfl.net/">Good, Clean Funnies List</a>." That's when I discovered I'm not the only one who can't tell a metaphor from a semaphore from <em>Connect Four</em>. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/09/metafores-and-asimilies-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Music: "Jennifer Griffiths, Inspiring Others with a Song and a Prayer"</span><hr />by Julie Keyser on <span style="font-style: italic;">yourMusicNotes</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Just the other day I received this invitation from my good friend Jen Griffiths via e-mail:<br /><blockquote>"I decided...to share my music with people online again, but with a little different approach than I did last time. So, Jen Griffiths Music is officially online! My site <a href="http://www.jengriffithsmusic.com/">www.jengriffithsmusic.com</a> has a free weekly 5-10 minute podcast called "A Song and A Prayer." Each podcast has an inspirational message followed by an original song. Let me know what you think!"<br /></blockquote> So...I checked it out, like any good friend would, not realizing what a difference it would make in my life by just listening for a few minutes. But before I go into what a difference it made for me that day let me get you caught up on Jen Griffiths the person, the singer/songwriter extraordinaire...the friend. -- <a href="http://yourmusicnotes.blogspot.com/2008/09/jennifer-griffiths-inspiring-others.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "September Morn"</span><hr />by Cheri Crane on <span style="font-style: italic;">Crane-ium</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">My husband is a huge Neil Diamond fan. One year for his birthday, I managed to procure tickets to a Neil Diamond concert in Salt Lake City. He loved it and it was a lot of fun. That said, for some reason, the music to September Morn is going around in my head this morning. Here is my version of the lyrics:<br /><br /></div>September morn what is it that you truly do intend?<br />Pretending to be nice you are no friend<br />You arrive and summer's at an end,<br />September morn, you came and froze my garden yet again.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Don't get me wrong, I do look forward to fall, it's just that this summer has sped by so fast, I'm not ready for cooler temps, and I'm a bit miffed about the sorry state of my garden affairs. We work hard to grow gardens here in the heart of Bear Lake County. Spring usually arrives about the middle of June. We can expect a frost or two just about the time our gardens come up. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/09/september-morn.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: "Free to Worship"</span><hr />by Rebecca Talley on <span style="font-style: italic;">Rebecca Talley Writes</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">“We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may” (11th Article of Faith).<br /><br />We believe that the true gospel of Jesus Christ, as instituted by the Savior himself during his mortal lifetime, has been restored to the world. We believe that Joseph Smith did, in fact, see God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ in answer to his sincere prayer to find God’s Church on earth. We further believe that Joseph Smith translated gold plates into the Book of Mormon. We believe that the Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the gospel, and that a man will become closer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book, including the Bible. We do believe in and support the Bible, but also believe some portions have been mistranslated. The Book of Mormon serves as another testament of Jesus Christ. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/09/free-to-worship.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking & Crafts: "Back-to-Basics"</span><hr />by Kim Thompson on <span style="font-style: italic;">Scribbled Scraps</span><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5847232439225175875&postID=1821655177950641172" title="Edit Post"> <span class="quick-edit-icon"> </span> </a> <div style="text-align: justify;" class="entry"> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsJtTiVQP5OXYEXP5NjwQBCjGm4-kW3QE3zZxgvpoO2vERxdcKT669TV_E5gkrQ10NObBScCw6WNXJGMF8cSWApdcsdcTucE0_QG9DHdvfg0cHknNFHDFQw6NH-GGH6pXJAGew6dmGD2U/s1600-h/536076782_6e4a50994d.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243784239196211074" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 140px; height: 144px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsJtTiVQP5OXYEXP5NjwQBCjGm4-kW3QE3zZxgvpoO2vERxdcKT669TV_E5gkrQ10NObBScCw6WNXJGMF8cSWApdcsdcTucE0_QG9DHdvfg0cHknNFHDFQw6NH-GGH6pXJAGew6dmGD2U/s320/536076782_6e4a50994d.jpg" border="0" /></a>I thought occasionally I'd blog about some scrapbooking basics. Lots of you are experienced scrappers, but I know there are a few beginners out there as well. Hopefully even the experienced scrappers can glean something from the information I share. And as always, I'm open to any suggestions, tips, or techniques you've picked up and would like to share.<br /><br />Trimming your photographs is one of the first things that most scrapbookers are taught. At first, it seems difficult to do. Cut my pictures? You've got to be kidding. But, we do this for several reasons. The first of which is that allows you to fit more pictures on the page. It can also create a focal point for your page and removes distracting or unnecessary background images. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/09/back-to-basics-cropping.html">Read More</a><br /></p></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Hospitality at the Olympics, Part 2"</span><hr />by Liz Adair on <span style="font-style: italic;">Liz Sez</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggL7O9AQpYsciRzvMRGanLW6Qk7v4uc2_X9vlu6bLN8pBQl_8jKrHux1BNGFbFQX_NrV8KIQ0mlTIooVf0DxUAEH7O88MpypefIKpWTTzX18-EM4JnEmdajHVvHE2GGuzc1y18a1CpFZXl/s1600-h/Cookies.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243497539589540818" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggL7O9AQpYsciRzvMRGanLW6Qk7v4uc2_X9vlu6bLN8pBQl_8jKrHux1BNGFbFQX_NrV8KIQ0mlTIooVf0DxUAEH7O88MpypefIKpWTTzX18-EM4JnEmdajHVvHE2GGuzc1y18a1CpFZXl/s320/Cookies.jpg" border="0" /></a>This is the second of three articles written by Whitney, who worked in the hospitality sector at the Beijing Olympics. <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/09/yourldsneighborhood-service-hospitality.html">Click here to read her first report.</a><br /><br />The photo is of one of the amenities at the Ritz Carlton: little tartlets with chocolate coins on top with the symbols for some of the Olympic sports<br /><br />Whitney writes about her job:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A typical day for me started out around 7a.m. when I would walk around the hospitality suites at The Ritz-Carlton Financial Street and check to make sure that the food was hot, the staff prepared, and there weren’t any fires to put out from the night before. I would then meet with the Front Desk to go over arrivals for the following day to ensure that their system matched my company’s system, so each guest arriving had a room prepared and ready for them</span>. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/09/yourldsneighborhood-service-hospitality_07.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "My Favorite Form of Recreation"</span><hr />by Rachelle Christensen on <span style="font-style: italic;">Rachelle's Writing Spot</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkuBzQrlf7cybcp35v4rcNUUtTQnUYzVRxgRPXV_K3Eohyphenhyphenme9XmaKJ-HnmqHuLGTBx7qc3BcflFn9diKPsxDiqTlFs32j7QcDOg07scCuiBQkRpcEdEZI9yZiM10bIZ9UzCNNPSfTGus/s1600-h/Old+Books.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243689954525088018" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 169px; height: 206px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkuBzQrlf7cybcp35v4rcNUUtTQnUYzVRxgRPXV_K3Eohyphenhyphenme9XmaKJ-HnmqHuLGTBx7qc3BcflFn9diKPsxDiqTlFs32j7QcDOg07scCuiBQkRpcEdEZI9yZiM10bIZ9UzCNNPSfTGus/s400/Old+Books.jpg" border="0" /></a>I love reading! I know that reading might not be the first thought to pop in your head when you think about recreation, but it truly is one of my favorite things to do. I love to curl up with a book and devour it from cover to cover.<br /><br />I have always loved reading and I think it’ because my mom read to me so much growing up. She also paid for a library card since we weren’t in the city limits and drove us into town to check out books. We filled an old blue milk crate with hundreds of books over the years and I never grew tired of reading. She let us participate in the summer reading program at the library and was always involved in the reading programs at school too. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-favorite-form-of-recreation.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">And while you're there subscribe to our fantastic <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">newsletter</a>. Welcome to the <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">yourLDSneighborhood</a> newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.<br /><br />LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-12341350217150342922008-09-05T19:59:00.001-06:002008-10-04T20:47:48.451-06:00On the Newsstands September 4, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: "The Art of Minerva Teichert"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Gaynell Parker on <i>Musings from an LDS Writing Mom</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXm0Z62fVYMA9uLO8Kb_4qhGzeP2surMGQI0hWFjXfnWqg5X9C5w_Dt2B5dMZI3wqBl0Qk0O-_dGkVhN5Sv3m_mdVFnh6H48Cr_6mHgPHDUHKbLfRhIRtXreyoM5FCN9I4sWvbJdfvWVM/s1600-h/bompaintings1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXm0Z62fVYMA9uLO8Kb_4qhGzeP2surMGQI0hWFjXfnWqg5X9C5w_Dt2B5dMZI3wqBl0Qk0O-_dGkVhN5Sv3m_mdVFnh6H48Cr_6mHgPHDUHKbLfRhIRtXreyoM5FCN9I4sWvbJdfvWVM/s400/bompaintings1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253485440922216866" border="0" /></a>In going through my Ensign for last month, I came across a section with paintings about the Book of Mormon done by <a href="http://hickmanmuseum.homestead.com/MinervaTeichert.html">Minerva Teichert</a>. I have seen her artwork before, but for some reason it stood out to me and I thought it worth mentioning today.<br /><br />Her work has a certain look that makes it stand out from others. It makes me think of a more ancient design...almost as if this is a work that has been uncovered in an archeological site in the moods that she brings across. Yet...it's rich and unique in it's own way. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/09/art-of-minerva-teichert.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: "Osmonds"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Linda Scanlan a.k.a. L.S. Keilbart on<i> <i>I Knew I Could Fly</i></i><br /><br /><a href="http://http//www.imdb.com/name/nm0652104/">Alan,</a> <a href="http://http//www.imdb.com/name/nm0652131/">Wayne</a>, <a href="http://http//www.imdb.com/name/nm0652123/">Merrill</a>, <a href="http://http//www.imdb.com/name/nm0652123/">Jay</a>, <a href="http://http//www.imdb.com/name/nm0005287/">Donny</a>, <a href="http://http//www.imdb.com/name/nm0005288/">Marie</a>, and <a href="http://http//www.imdb.com/name/nm0652116/">Jimmy</a> Osmond make up the group known as "The Osmonds". They have performed for over 50 years. They recently finished a 50 year, sold out, world wide tour. Many people know of their accomplishments as musicians, but other than die hard Osmond fans, many people may not know of their many screen appearances, whether on their own show or on talk shows. They Osmonds have movie credits under their belts too.<br /><br />Donny Osmond is currently known for his role in "<a href="http://http//focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/college-road-trip.html">College Road Trip</a>". The Osmonds however are versatile in their talents. They have appeared not only on screen but on Broadway. Recently, Merrill starred in the "Civil War" musical production in Salt Lake (Spring of 2008). I was lucky enough to get tickets. The production was fabulous. It was made more special because Merrill was in a lead role. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/09/alan-wayne-merrill-jay-donny-marie-and.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Teen Books That I Love"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Alison Palmer on <i>Tangled Words and Dreams</i><br /><br />I am an avid children and YA reader when it comes to the national market. I will very rarely venture into the adult fiction section because I know that I can’t trust 95% of what’s over there not to cause my eyeballs to burn right out of their sockets. In contrast, I can trust about 50% of the stuff I pull from the kid and teen sections of the library. It used to be a lot higher than that but the teen stuff has really gone downhill in recent years.<br /><br />For me, walking into the childrens and teen sections of a library or bookstore is a truly drool worthy exercise in euphoria. Some day I’m going to devise the ultimate scheme which will let me park myself in front of those shelves and never move again.<br /><br />Ok, I could figure out a way to buy them or check them out, but then I’d have to lug them home. I’m running out of room for books as it is. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/09/teen-books-that-i-love.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: "Sapphires for September"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Nichole Giles on <i>Fairy Squeaks</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazouajOF7RYxynMQy_Nw_Fiag8AJ-c3dDvzkTcWazcgIr5NCA1pivH1Khf-KIDGYnuQa7QZIkxtVlcMODh4AWvm-YafOWvRaQEYsmkkuO-iGPnMSp5SUD2hrpKf8vTsnuProVJVbUcGCY/s1600-h/sapphire2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241527072774402322" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazouajOF7RYxynMQy_Nw_Fiag8AJ-c3dDvzkTcWazcgIr5NCA1pivH1Khf-KIDGYnuQa7QZIkxtVlcMODh4AWvm-YafOWvRaQEYsmkkuO-iGPnMSp5SUD2hrpKf8vTsnuProVJVbUcGCY/s400/sapphire2.jpg" border="0" /></a>Besides being the September birthstone, the sapphire is also the gem designated for the 5th, 23rd, and 45th wedding anniversary, and a star sapphire is typically given on the 65th wedding anniversary.<br /><br />In July, I mentioned that rubies and sapphires are both made from the mineral corundum. Red stones created from corundum are considered rubies. All other colors of stone created from this mineral—including pink, orange, white, black, golden, and especially blue—is considered a sapphire. You lucky September babies have lots of color choices, though the traditional September stone is a deep, ocean blue.<br /><br />The name sapphire comes from either the ancient Persian word “safir”, meaning “beloved of Saturn,” or from the Greek word “sapphirus,” meaning blue. (No one can ever agree where the names for these things come from apparently.) An interesting sidenote: these stones are especially popular in England. Lots of sapphires can be found among the British Crown Jewels, including in the engagement ring given to the late Princess Dianna when she agreed to marry Prince Charles. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/09/sapphires-for-september.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: "Millie's Yellow Cake"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Candace E. Salima on <i>Dream a little dream...</i><br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Salimas/Downloads/classic%20yellow%20cake%201.jpg" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLj9_WbknNCj0s-z-UEyT2vt-THgzWP_HRvaELT_B3VtXl1dBTybvV979i0hmpHP9vsLS_XW_7CuzWV9hOyIY9B9WSZAAFwaxxrhtpTBdDURaFFWaTwk7yDRr1LIRUQjcahTGKBZbOjw/s1600-h/classic+yellow+cake+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLj9_WbknNCj0s-z-UEyT2vt-THgzWP_HRvaELT_B3VtXl1dBTybvV979i0hmpHP9vsLS_XW_7CuzWV9hOyIY9B9WSZAAFwaxxrhtpTBdDURaFFWaTwk7yDRr1LIRUQjcahTGKBZbOjw/s400/classic+yellow+cake+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253488249490035042" border="0" /></a>One of the greatest things about growing up in my childhood home was my mother's <span style="font-style: italic;">Millie's Yellow Cake.</span><br /><br />From my earliest memory, Mom used to mix together the ingredients for <span style="font-style: italic;">Millie's Yellow Cake</span> and cook 90% of it. The rest, she'd put on the table, give each of us a spoon and we'd dig in. I picked up some valuable, as far as cooking, from that lifetime of digging into that amazing batter. If the batter tastes good the cake will taste good. It's always worked for me. <span style="font-style: italic;">Millie's Yellow Cake</span> IS THE BEST!<br /><br />So I'm so happy to share with you today the recipe for my mother's (who is not Millie, and I have no idea who Millie actually is) yellow cake. Best served and eaten sans frosting. Frosting can be put on it, but the taste alone, eaten just as shown above, is the most wonderful thing! -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/09/recipe-millies-yellow-cake.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: "Update"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Keith Fisher on <i>The Camp Cook in Your Backyard</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5jcVfDIXeCuAeY8k_SguBxDLKPZ78zUpZYDSQQuwMUNh2cg5yVedqhTC21tHdVu2G5v8d9_A7XLdAwuauLWK9uTwJcpKtWHq6jVXznUypphn92z0Cu0rGWHL6Obv1_QV_scA4iaxNHo/s1600-h/jellybeans.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5jcVfDIXeCuAeY8k_SguBxDLKPZ78zUpZYDSQQuwMUNh2cg5yVedqhTC21tHdVu2G5v8d9_A7XLdAwuauLWK9uTwJcpKtWHq6jVXznUypphn92z0Cu0rGWHL6Obv1_QV_scA4iaxNHo/s400/jellybeans.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253489318357433090" border="0" /></a>Well, its time for the big announcement, how many Jelly beans were there anyway? You will remember two weeks ago when I started a guess how many, contest? I am pleased by the number of responses it received, so pleased, in fact, that I think I’m sold on the idea. Check back often to see the new contests and send me an email if you have any ideas.<br /><br />I discovered to my shame, however, that I had my comments feature limited to Blogger members only, so some of you weren’t able to participate. For this oversight I am sorry. I have reset my settings and it won’t happen again. You can always reach me at bloghole57(at)yahoo(dot)com please feel free to send me an email but please don’t send spam.<br /><br />Now, I know you are waiting with baited breath, so to speak, but I want to talk about something else and drag out your apprehension. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/09/update.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: What Price Freedom?</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Muriel Sluyter on <i>Rocky Mountain Straight Talk</i><br /><br />When our ancestors came to this continent from the old world, whether from one country or another, most of them came seeking freedom. There were those who came for riches, but most of the hard-working, laboring class came for freedom of one sort or another.<br /><br />In all the countries of the old world, the class system was firmly entrenched. You didn’t move from class to class. Even if you were a lazy slug, your countrymen treated you according to your class, meaning men of honor and good character bowed down to the most worthless of the upperclass.<br /><br />When our ancestors came here, they brought that system with them. But in this land there was a difference: the continent was huge, and a courageous, hard-worker could go elsewhere if he wanted. He didn’t have to submit to servitude. Even if he had come as a bond servant, meaning he would serve the man who paid his passage to this country, that was for a finite period of time. When he had paid for his passage with a period of servitude, he became a free man. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-price-freedom.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: "Have You Ever Seen a Spiritual Zuchinni</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Barbara Salsbury on <i>Three P's in a Pod</i><br /><br />It’s that time of year when people start to realize that some might consider zucchini a weed. Or else reality sinks in and you have forgotten that last year you made a solemn oath that you would not plant a row of six squash plants this year. But you did it again because they are so cute when they are small. I’ve mentioned before that some of you may have heard that there are people who put zucchini on porches in the middle of the night and run. But of course that is only rumor.<br /><br />Today I would like to change your thinking about abundant zucchini and its willingness to provide so much for so little.<br /><br />And of course you know by now that this blog will eventually get around to discussing preparedness. Today’s firm, solid rule for hard times, tight budget times, economically correct times – in other words being prepared times – says that you eat what you have on hand, whether you happen to like it or not. It is a rule to live by. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/09/have-you-ever-seen-spiritual-zucchini.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: "Adding Oxygen to Your Pond"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Heather Justesen on <i>Heather Justesen</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiXdAiBjsZ8agj0AhjWKRWaVllMerjRAbrmu0HiCwUWKAK4YUwFVgSPnhRX4S74B9kPhzfFcRjqPLmhgCb8-_SmlExTSfxwmaWiH7LNQrTUGktlP6IN0Ob8lMmINmwFQZPfjN263ZMZjZ/s1600-h/pondmaster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiXdAiBjsZ8agj0AhjWKRWaVllMerjRAbrmu0HiCwUWKAK4YUwFVgSPnhRX4S74B9kPhzfFcRjqPLmhgCb8-_SmlExTSfxwmaWiH7LNQrTUGktlP6IN0Ob8lMmINmwFQZPfjN263ZMZjZ/s320/pondmaster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241076381947350578" border="0" /></a>So now you've decided how big and how deep you want your pond, you've decided if you want fish or not, and what kind--you need to decide how you want to add oxygen to your water. If you are raising fish--or even just plants, you definitely need to make sure they have access to oxygen in the water, which will be used up or eventually escape if it isn't added regularly. Another reason to make sure you are adding air to the water is because decaying debri in your pond can steal all of the air from the water, and add toxic gases that can kill plants and fish. The type of aeration needed depends on the size of your pond, but for something small like the one I have, not much is needed. For a larger pond, especially one deep enough for koi, you may need to take more drastic measures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjss-xWAY7gBQYTti_Sm0tnorvugZu7aFXoko86tyPKhK3rQ4FnYYxw5U3uDJeX3e7APCscVhW3IsWPTAdKr6PdpWt4B18y32Gd2qrktug32Q9gdANHqE56k-d2ZbtnH9j77teA4HdKULQo/s1600-h/bubbler+rock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjss-xWAY7gBQYTti_Sm0tnorvugZu7aFXoko86tyPKhK3rQ4FnYYxw5U3uDJeX3e7APCscVhW3IsWPTAdKr6PdpWt4B18y32Gd2qrktug32Q9gdANHqE56k-d2ZbtnH9j77teA4HdKULQo/s320/bubbler+rock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241076380858330322" border="0" /></a>A pond bubbler is a small device that shoots a stream of water into the air. When the water falls back down, it brings oxygen with it, and mixes into the water below. This can be something as simple as the one pictured to the right, which is made by Pondmaster and run around $30, or something more incognito, like the rock bubbler pictured. These run upwards of $100 and come in various types of rock to fit your landscaping. A bubbler is also an option for keeping a portion of the water ice free in winter to allow an air exchange for any plants or fish you may overwinter there and will work in all but the coldest weather. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/09/adding-oxygen-to-your-pond.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets: "Technically Impaired"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by C.L. Beck on <i>Write Up My Alley</i><br /><br />Technology befuddles me. I think that's a gal thing—meaning women are genetically predisposed to never understand technological instructions. Case in point, how long did it take before we had a woman astronaut? It took centuries. And when we finally did get one, she went off her rocker, drove across the country and tried to kill someone. Was she really crazy, or just befuddled by technology?<br /><br />Most gals instinctively grasp the important things in life—like how to shave their underarms with a dull, albeit pink-colored razor and not end up wearing Band-Aids on their armpits for the next month. We understand how much fuzz we can let build up in the dryer’s lint trap before it sets the house on fire. We even know how to lick chocolate frosting off a sharp steak knife. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/08/technologically-impaired-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "New Orleans' French Quarter"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Cheri Crane on <i>Crane-ium</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qRaS_bU33-ntGQW1QNbwNit7rpAO-i6KMqzwVC-rKml_0rJjJ5iWZmj8w14ZxxfOynKhda5oaMkYzH97u6R0fWwi7MbJakPyZpf7EBEAPGT8Er1zgzAvaDsiTuCFOYH-kSkG2YTQ91M/s1600-h/FrenchQuarter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qRaS_bU33-ntGQW1QNbwNit7rpAO-i6KMqzwVC-rKml_0rJjJ5iWZmj8w14ZxxfOynKhda5oaMkYzH97u6R0fWwi7MbJakPyZpf7EBEAPGT8Er1zgzAvaDsiTuCFOYH-kSkG2YTQ91M/s400/FrenchQuarter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253493754184358962" border="0" /></a>A couple of weeks ago I promised to post more tidbits from New Orleans. As you may recall, I fell in love with this area during a trip my husband and I embarked upon in October of 2006. It was a business trip for Kennon---I got invited to tag along and we spent two weeks in New Orleans.<br /><br />I've cringed the past few days, praying for the brave souls in the New Orleans area. Hurricane season brings back sharpened remembrances of the havoc Hurricane Katrina wreaked in this beautiful Gulf state. New Orleans is surrounded by water. The Mississippi River cuts along the southern and western boundaries. To the north lies Lake Pontchartrain, the second largest salt water lake in the United States. (Salt Lake in Utah is the largest.) Two bridges known as the Causeway lie across this huge lake (the longest bridge stretches across the middle---approximately 23 miles). To the east of New Orleans lies Lake Borgne & the Mississippi Sound, entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/09/new-orleans-french-quarter.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: "Revelation"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Rebecca Talley on <i>Rebecca Talley Writes</i><br /><br />Revelation is a vital part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (9th Article of Faith).<br /><br />What sets the LDS Church apart from other churches is our belief in latter-day revelation. We believe that our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, communicates with God and then reveals God’s will to us.<br /><br />In 1978, our prophet at the time, Spencer W. Kimball, received revelation that all worthy male members of the LDS Church were entitled to receive the priesthood. Up until that time, not all male members could receive the priesthood. The matter weighed heavily on the mind of President Kimball so he prayed to receive an answer. The Lord revealed to President Kimball that the time had come for all male members to receive the priesthood and be able to perform the ordinances of the gospel. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/09/revelation.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking & Crafts: "Circle Journal"</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">by Kim Thompson on <i>Scribble Scraps</i><br /><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241057338032942802" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtO5XRUiKXJ5sJX-S1DIBwhns9dIswnS4vyXofezWEqDex0iHOAA8iuL0QKjVqBlSEl9vc8905zfyEoCRzn2tMjM7WUmCvIZGuYv4pcID8WAtlL6MSgRBvQlQbdHGrUHn9sN-CiKEPDg/s400/circlejournals_848102.jpg" vspace="10" align="left" border="0" hspace="10" />Have you heard of a Circle Journal?<br /></p>My daughter and I have a notebook we write in and pass back and forth. It all started because I did something to make her mad and she didn’t want to talk about it. I wanted her to know how I felt and that I was sorry, so I purchased a cute notebook (it happened to say Angel on the front, which is what I call her). I wrote my feelings, then put the notebook under her pillow. She found it when she went to bed. She wrote back and put the notebook under my pillow. <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Since then, we’ve passed the book back and forth. It contains some serious conversations, as well as lots of fun silly ones. It’s a place we can be ourselves, and we’ve gotten to know each other better throughout the experience. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/09/circle-journals.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Another Letter From Iraq"</span><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;">by Liz Adair on <i>Liz Sez</i><br /><br />We just returned from our annual Adair Family & Friends Labor Day Campout, and Lt. Colonel Patty Kubeja was sorely missed. Her husband, children, and step children were there, though, and Mark caught us up on what Patty has been doing.<br /><br />When I got home, I had an email from Patty--a newsy email she sends out to family and friends. I know she won't mind my sharing it with you. She writes:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It has been two months since I last wrote. I have been meaning to write but just kept procrastinating. At first it seemed I didn't have much to say except it is still hot and I am still deployed, but after two months I do have a little more to share.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Soldiers are known for the sacrifice they give for their country. I have heard that for the past 19 years I have been in the military, but the word sacrifice has taken on a new meaning during this deployment. Missing so many important family events and missing out on a year of my children’s life, I can say I have truly felt the sacrifice. I have to say a Big Thank You to my loving husband and kids for supporting me and sacrificing along with me</span>. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/09/yourldsneighborhood-service-another.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Last of the Summer Holidays"</span><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;">by Rachelle Christensen on <i>Rachelle's Writing Spot</i><br /><br />I hope you all have a Happy Labor Day! I have to admit this holiday was never high on my list of fun ones because it really was a day of labor for my family. It was a day off with time to harvest more vegetables from the garden, bottle tomatoes or salsa, and do yard work. Sometimes we would go on a little picnic but that’s about all I remember.<br /><br />Now fast forward quite a few years. I live in Utah County and Labor Day is definitely a fun day here because of Payson Onion Days. My husband grew up in Payson and so he always got to celebrate the holiday.<br /><br />The preparation starts early with my in-laws setting up chairs by the Payson park on Saturday night so they can get their coveted spot! Then a great parade starts at 10:00am with all kinds of floats, bands, people throwing candy, even a bagpipe band. My kids especially like the people throwing candy and the “princesses” which are the royalty from different cities waving from their floats. My three-year old even has the wave down. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/09/last-of-summer-holidays.html">Read More</a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.<br /><br />And while you're there subscribe to our fantastic <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">newsletter</a>. Welcome to the <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">yourLDSneighborhood</a> newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.<br /><br />LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-3417007115380630462008-08-30T19:22:00.000-06:002008-10-04T19:58:49.267-06:00On the Newsstands August 30, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Recreation: "Another View on Coding" by Gaynell Parker</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Musings of an LDS Writing Mom</i><br /><br />This was a <a href="http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001160.html">strange article</a> that I came across reading another blog the other day. It made a point that I thought was totally amazing -- an eye opening thought so to speak. "Quantity always trumps quality."<br /><br />I don't agree with that mentality, of course, as a painter it doesn't work with my abilities. But, I think it touches anything we deal with in life.<br /><br />As a writer, the more we write, generally the more we improve. As an artist, the more I paint and experiment with different things, the better my skills get. As parents, the more we try and listen and work with our children, the better we become. It seems to be a principle of fact, doesn't it? -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/08/another-view-on-coding.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: "Mary Higgins Clark" by Linda Scanlan a.k.a. L.S. Keilbart</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I Knew I Could Fly</span><br /><br />One of my favorite authors of all time is Mary Higgins Clark. Her novels are are easy to read, yet thought provoking as to "who-dun-it". She is relatively clean (PG mostly) in her stories. "<span style="font-style: italic;">I don't use explicit sex or violence so I wind up on the reading list for the seventh grade." I've always just preferred the idea of implied violence. The Hitchcock way. How many ways can you shoot people up? I think footsteps... that can be scarier. And I think the sexiest line written this century is, "You'll not shut me out of your bedroom tonight." I swear that's sexier than all this rolling in the hay</span>." (<a href="http://www.powells.com/authors/higginsclark.html">Source</a>)<br /><br />She has written well over thirty books, twenty-four of which have been on the best seller list. A widow with five children Mary had to make a living some how. With a colorful history to dra<span style="font-style: italic;">w from for her novels Mary has never had a regret about any of them. In her words she says "I'd been a flying hostess with Pan Am...It was very glamorous, but I did it for a year and got married. When I got married, I said, "Now I have to learn how to be a professional writer." In the meantime I'd seen Europe, Africa, and Asia, at a time when I would have been a senior in college. I saw a revolution in Syria. In India they had independence, but it still felt like the colonial empire. I was in Africa when it was still the Belgian Congo and the British Gold Coast and French West Africa. Marvelous experiences. But then when I got married, well, in those days you had to quit. But I was ready. I'd seen the world, and I wanted to become a professional writer. I had to learn how. And I started taking writing courses at NYU</span>." (<a href="http://www.powells.com/authors/higginsclark.html">Source</a>) -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/08/magical-movie-moments-mary-higgins.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "The Birthright and The Kings Heir by Loralee Evans" by Alison Palmer</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Tangled Words and Dreams</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3wUAbrudSlRfwXNq_3eOx_IkLBrIYHk9T1asgz2-Cu2N5Mp7aQn1eTMubHYa_hokPgXLxRBhND-_aGspedE0-hqVLQNnWvUjwZrrQwRkXgrBl-hvWAysVMIRJRsaVFnQI02K2hAH0UgA/s1600-h/birthright.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 151px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3wUAbrudSlRfwXNq_3eOx_IkLBrIYHk9T1asgz2-Cu2N5Mp7aQn1eTMubHYa_hokPgXLxRBhND-_aGspedE0-hqVLQNnWvUjwZrrQwRkXgrBl-hvWAysVMIRJRsaVFnQI02K2hAH0UgA/s400/birthright.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253476565715072306" border="0" /></a>Last time we looked at one way historical fiction can be used to help us understand the Book of Mormon better by discussing the <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/08/out-of-jerusalem-series-by-h-b-moore.html">Out of Jerusalem series by H.B. Moore</a>.<br /><br />Is this the only way to express an understanding of the Book of Mormon? Absolutely not. Remember, Heavenly Father inspires His children to write and provide the avenues most needed by His children, and inspires His children to find those most appropriate for them. For me, what works best is a slightly different approach. Today, we’ll look at an example of this method by discussing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kings-Heir-Loralee-Evans/dp/1555178650?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218035102&sr=1-1">The King’s Heir</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Birthright-Trying-Lamanites-Because-Birthright/dp/B0013Z991W?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218035008&sr=1-2">The Birthright</a> by Loralee Evans.<br /><br />These two books employ a different method of helping us understand the material in the Book of Mormon. It takes the events and times and uses them as a background for an interwoven fictional tale. The main characters do not necessarily appear anywhere in the scriptures, or perhaps only hold a small mention. It’s an attempt to show the lives of everyday people, who would have been involved in the events, not necessarily center stage to them. These tales have a little more freedom than those that are trying to adhere to only those things recorded in the scriptures, such as the Out of Jerusalem series. This option is employed to give a different viewpoint altogether. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/08/birthright-and-kings-heir-by-loralee.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: "So Many Shapes and Facets" by Nichole Giles</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Fairy Squeaks</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCCc1ptvl5_GavE6lSASDjlWd7QhCw7f300aaZw3qt2cbwpOLl1YsE07HwLSRVBwFunrttGlyNm3fRtIT7C-mp6L5cD_s2BYp6wPvy6GjRp_UO-TIZJ3dpWpf6sD6DsYtayJfhPgNw9s/s1600-h/2-3_diam_cuts.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCCc1ptvl5_GavE6lSASDjlWd7QhCw7f300aaZw3qt2cbwpOLl1YsE07HwLSRVBwFunrttGlyNm3fRtIT7C-mp6L5cD_s2BYp6wPvy6GjRp_UO-TIZJ3dpWpf6sD6DsYtayJfhPgNw9s/s400/2-3_diam_cuts.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253477484134278194" border="0" /></a>Last night I had my critique group over to my house. We finished reading one member’s romance genre’ work-in-progress. And, well, being that it’s a romance, obviously, there was an engagement ring involved.<br /><br />Our group is mostly women—but we are blessed with one man, who gives us a completely different perspective, and for whose questions and opinions we are grateful. Anyway, back to the manuscript, and the ring. In the story, the man pulled out an emerald cut diamond solitaire as he proposed—and our male member asked, “Is there really such a cut for diamonds?” -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/08/so-many-shapes-and-facets.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: "Hair, Skin & Nails, Part 5" by Candace E. Salima</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Dream a little dream...</i><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">From <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/search?q=health+and+food">last week's column</a>: So, what does this all boil down to? Eat well, avoid smoking and alcohol. Eat your fruits and veggies, raw is the most beneficial. Keep your diet balanced. This will be a good starting point to achieving optimum health, which we all know is a good building block for health hair, skin and nails.<br /><br />Now on to the next step which will enable you have to the kind of hair, skin and nails you desire.<br /><br />Exercise: Oh yeah, exercise is a critical part of every human beings life. Centuries ago when people had to farm their land to eat, scrub their clothing on a washboard, build their own homes . . . well, they really didn’t have weight problems. It’s the sedentary lives we live now, along with the fast foot diet, which has caused unprecedented weight gains for human beings across all first world nations. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/08/hair-skin-nails-part-5.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: "Happy Labor Day" by Keith Fisher</span><hr /><i>The Camp Cook in Your Backyard</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSOSTgE7mZM4LGh2wJT_y-V4PDXB2qgjUvAei6srFPwrOEGTZe6VjMwKVVoU5A89TFsuEIsmTG8p1YlaXztsToYvOqaKA-LBRetZhH6UdAum_DtJRdCWUmRAY9iVc_28__1zDmNuDaJA/s1600-h/labor_day_2001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 205px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSOSTgE7mZM4LGh2wJT_y-V4PDXB2qgjUvAei6srFPwrOEGTZe6VjMwKVVoU5A89TFsuEIsmTG8p1YlaXztsToYvOqaKA-LBRetZhH6UdAum_DtJRdCWUmRAY9iVc_28__1zDmNuDaJA/s400/labor_day_2001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253478518381189490" border="0" /></a>Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well being of our country. <em><a href="http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm">Labor Day: How it Came About—what it Means</a> </em><br /><br />While serving a mission in Canada years ago, I enjoyed the Boxing Day Holiday. Celebrated on December 26, I was told it’s the day set aside for the servants: mail carriers, waiters, gas station attendants, and etc. It’s the day you prepare a Christmas box for the people who serve you.<br /><br />In America, where business is the national religion and successful businesspersons our heroes. Please take time to remember that without the American worker, business would’ve foundered hundreds of years ago. Capitalism would be a byword. Providing employment and a living wage for Americans must be the purpose of those heroes. Be careful that the profit margin doesn’t get in the way of your duty, and remember who really blessed you with your success. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/08/happy-labor-day.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: "How to Make Grab and Go Food" by Barbara Salsbury</span><hr /><i>Three P's in a Pod</i><br /><br />Everyone knows that making all of your own food from scratch is a great way to save money. Anytime you pay another person to prepare your food, though, you’ll pay more than if you do it yourself. But what if there just isn’t time to cook from scratch? Often there isn’t time to cook, period. How do you balance saving time with saving money? The answer, unsatisfying as it may be, is doing the best you can. You save time when you can, and you save money where you can and with enough effort, hopefully you’ll achieve that balance.<br /><br />One food group that can really put a dent in your budget is grab-and-go foods. Yet, if you need grab-and-go food, your time is obviously at a premium also. To give you an example, I have two grandsons who are involved in everything from sports to music to jobs to you-name-it. Being teenagers, they are always starved and always on the run. They don’t have time to sit down to a meal until late in the evening, and they don’t have money to grab a burger from a fast-food place if they are hungry in the meantime. There is a shelf in the pantry that their mother keeps stocked with single serving foods that they can just grab a handful of as they run out of the door to keep them going until they have a chance to eat a real meal. But if you have to buy grab-and-go snacks at the store, they will break the bank in no time at all. What do you do? -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-make-grab-and-go-foods.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: "Making Room for Fish in the Pond" by Heather Justesen</span><hr /><span style="font-style: italic;">Heather Justesen</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagJUlF3NsTYMicEu14ULwfe14OKjPr12nns9wREdOFyZTnZe3W0JBduR7vNjPV1N-G3KrrEpbq1uZBGhjBZvztE5fOqNa_EIIheo3fKsxBj5r5e0AYq4Pn14M2pprosLWEWOckwDNYdbB/s1600-h/goldfish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagJUlF3NsTYMicEu14ULwfe14OKjPr12nns9wREdOFyZTnZe3W0JBduR7vNjPV1N-G3KrrEpbq1uZBGhjBZvztE5fOqNa_EIIheo3fKsxBj5r5e0AYq4Pn14M2pprosLWEWOckwDNYdbB/s400/goldfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240020373918316002" border="0" /></a>So you have a spot picked out and you know you want to have some fish in your pond. Do you know what kind you are looking for? Most fish will grow until they fill the space available for them. If you have a couple of gold fish in a gallon bowl, they will stay pretty much the same size for as long as you have them. If you put the same two gold fish in a smallish pond, they'll grow quickly. Koi will grow even larger given half a chance and plenty of food.<br /><br />My fish started out as scrawny little feeders from Wal-Mart last spring. I didn't think they had grown much, but when I added new fish to the pond a couple of weeks ago, there was a huge size difference. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/08/making-room-for-fish-in-pond.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Parable of the Watermelon" by C.L. Beck</span><hr /><i>Write Up My Alley</i><br /><br />Russ meandered into the garage, looking for something constructive to do.<br /><br />Meanwhile, in the garden, Cindy stepped over to the dark green vine, gently moving the big leaves this way and that. “Ah-ha! I actually have a <a href="http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/watermelon1.html">watermelon growing</a>.” Leaning down, she brushed the dust off the green-striped, four-inch melon. A far-away look entered her eyes. “It’s been a lot of work; I’ve tried for years to grow melons. I’ve digged and pruned and dunged my vine. I’ve trimmed out the wild branches and grafted in the tame. And now, one has finally made it.”<br /><br />The mistress of the vineyard was pleased. She reached down and patted the melon as if it were a well-loved toddler. “Keep on growing.” Then she walked to the car, got in, and drove away to run errands. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/08/parable-of-watermelon-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Life by the Inch" by Cheri Crane</span><hr /><i>Crane-ium</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLQM08gRRZs6ltLyrcLLWjhTzV7vo0BXg2a9OKSv71AknsOWs5hTafTVx6750f1dHqqG3Gq5_804dP2hp9POmuIvDAv28he5o8L1_RkUB4ekK-3IB296HgpH5lws9emx_SorNPjDt1TQ/s1600-h/inchworm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLQM08gRRZs6ltLyrcLLWjhTzV7vo0BXg2a9OKSv71AknsOWs5hTafTVx6750f1dHqqG3Gq5_804dP2hp9POmuIvDAv28he5o8L1_RkUB4ekK-3IB296HgpH5lws9emx_SorNPjDt1TQ/s400/inchworm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253481136173788882" border="0" /></a>In today's hustle and bustle, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. To wonder if we're ever going to cross off every item on our expanding lists of things to do. I've been feeling that way a lot lately. Hence today's blog. ;) We'll call this a therapeutic moment on our busy journey through life.<br /><br />In college, I came across a wise tiny poem. It is as follows:<br /><br />Life by the yard is hard.<br />Life by the inch is a cinch.<br /><br />These are words to live by, especially in today's crazy world. Don't get me wrong, it's good to set goals for the future, to lay out plans, and to ponder how to achieve all that we desire. But it is also extremely easy to get so caught up in what we're not accomplishing, to stress over events we anticipate in the future, that sometimes we overwhelm ourselves. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/08/life-by-inch.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: "The Bible and the Book of Mormon" by Rebecca Talley</span><hr /><i>Rebecca Talley Writes</i><br /><br />The 8th Article of Faith states, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.”<br /><br />Many people erroneously believe that we, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, do not believe in the Bible. We do believe in the Bible. We read from it, teach from it, and use it to guide our lives.<br /><br />In fact, our high school-aged youth are encouraged to enroll in Seminary. Though in some areas Seminary is offered at various times throughout the school day, in many areas it is offered only in the early morning, before school begins. Youth study the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and Church History in Seminary. Our youth spend two years studying the Bible. In fact, my daughters are studying the New Testament this year. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/bible-and-book-of-mormon.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking & Crafts: "Terrific Titles" by Kim Thompson</span><hr /><i>Scribbled Scraps</i><br /><br /><h2 class="post-title"> <span class="item-control blog-admin pid-1470342585"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5847232439225175875&postID=7937782029097131337" title="Edit Post"> <span class="quick-edit-icon"> </span> </a> </span> </h2> <div class="entry"> <p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240067866158854434" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiDv_TDNlwY2TzfazFK0vv8gu0NSAWZOUNuiuiv7z9R0ZL0_lgDoBzBJ3adhdB_SPlZRLSpi1O8oVSMr5Vr3fBJHoZNpV-eYiJZEwDRyMN7lbqSoilEVKmUaN4LJcdVBqmuyxPFyOpfM/s200/froggy-susan.jpg" border="0" />A title defines the mood of your scrapbook layout. Because of its prominent placement on the page, it should be given serious consideration.<br /><br /></p><div>Before you start putting pictures onto the pages of your scrapbook take some time and decide which titles you will be using. You can also add in captions, poems and sayings to add even more personality to your scrapbook. The titles and other words you add create the theme of the scrapbook.</div><br />The title can be as simple as a date or word for an event. However you can convey the mood of your page and tell part of the story by using creative titles. To get an idea, here are some examples: -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/08/terrific-titles.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Let Me Thank You For Your Time" by Liz Adair</span><hr /><i>Liz Sez</i><br /><br />I wish I’d written the lyrics to Alabama’s song “Forty-Hour Week”. My eyes tear up every time I hear it. I’ve got blue-collar DNA, and the last few years, I’ve had the privilege of working in close proximity to men and women who work with their hands building and retrofitting the infrastructure of this nation. It has been an amazing experience.<br /><br />I don’t know why these last years were such an eye-opener. I grew up around people in the trades. My dad was a mechanic and a heavy equipment operator. His formal education stopped after the eighth grade, but informally, he never stopped learning. He read Popular Mechanics, automotive manuals, the dictionary, and the grocery-store-premium set of encyclopedias my mother collected when I was in middle school. He could fix anything, and since we always lived in remote areas, far from places big enough to have repair shops, people would come by to have him look at their car or washing machine or lawn mower and see if he could fix it. He always could. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/08/yourldsneighborhood-service-let-me.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Football is Finally Here" by Steve Christensen</span><hr /><i>Sports Break</i><br /><br />The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting cooler, and it is sad to see that summer is starting to fade away, but the month of September is my favorite time of year. This is the time when the football teams take to the fields to play in the best sport in the world. On September 4th the Redskins and Giants will play in the NFL season opener. This is the day that I have been waiting on since the Giants won the Super Bowl back in February. I am not a fan of baseball and basketball is pretty good, but football is hands down my most favorite sport for many reasons.<br /><br />Football starts during the most beautiful time of the year. The leaves on the trees are starting to change colors, the weather gets cooler and not so hot, and the kids all go back to school (my wife likes that part). I remember going to Payson High School football games and BYU football games with my Dad as a child. The air was chilly but we would bundle up and get hot cocoa and hot nachos at the concession stands. My wife and I are expecting a little boy (we currently have 2 girls) to be born in September and I plan on taking him to many football games over the years and will watch them on TV with him as well. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/08/yourldsneighborhood-service-let-me.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.<br /><br />And while you're there subscribe to our fantastic <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">newsletter</a>. Welcome to the <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">yourLDSneighborhood</a> newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.<br /><br />LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.<br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-52030082652665176012008-08-29T18:43:00.000-06:002008-10-04T19:59:30.905-06:00On the Newsstands August 28, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: "Beauty of the Sences" by Gaynell Parker</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Musings of an LDS Writing Mom</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3dMApbs1wLw-z9Ay6JYlxCf9I66Gf4_Ry03em6z7mNl98IEiu4Z6jn4Y17PZuG9xkUNc7cf1NoaYIDtjD1ZvNBob3S7ybBUYq6C_hsJ0lIOGZfiJhDusBFnX_6q8klgW0wPpJo_z8cQ/s1600-h/parfum.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3dMApbs1wLw-z9Ay6JYlxCf9I66Gf4_Ry03em6z7mNl98IEiu4Z6jn4Y17PZuG9xkUNc7cf1NoaYIDtjD1ZvNBob3S7ybBUYq6C_hsJ0lIOGZfiJhDusBFnX_6q8klgW0wPpJo_z8cQ/s400/parfum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253465258125028626" border="0" /></a>During the past week I was host to a perfume party. While there are many of you who are probably going, Huh? It is pretty fun. I never thought about making my own perfume before, and it's fun to smell all the different scents.<br /><br />As were were smelling and chatting, it occurred to me that it would make a great blog. Unfortunately, it was just my daughters, me and the rep -- Sandra. No one else showed up. Have you had that happen to you? Well...it happens to me a lot. I'm just not a party magnet, and people are always too busy to come to my house. Sigh.<br /><br />But I figured it was okay, I still get to chat with Sandra, who is a military mom, like me, and see what's new in her life. I talk with her online sometimes, but it's better in person. I also got to spend a little time with my daughters, doing the feminine thing -- perfume. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/08/beauty-of-sences.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: "Camp Rock" by Linda Scanlan a.k.a. L.S. Keilbart</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Focus on One</span><br /><br />Camp Rock was released in stores last week. I picked it up today and the kids eagerly grabbed it from my hands and immediately inserted the disc into the player. They sat riveted to their seats during the 98 minute showing.<br /><br />I had never really listened to the Jonas Brothers before today. I think their tone and music are definitely catchy for this generation. My ear however likens them unto the many Disney artists that are being cranked out yearly like the Cheetah Girls, Hannah Montana and others. Joe Jonas, the lead singer, has a squeezing, pushing quality about his singing. It's almost as if he doesn't have natural volume and has to make up for it in a forced attempt. The group sound is good and I am sure that the pre-teen and early teen females don't know the difference. When googling the Jonas Brothers I found page upon page of links for them, so their music works...just not with me. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/08/magical-movie-moments-camp-rock.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Out of Jerusalem Series by H.B. Moore" by Alison Palmer</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Tangled Words and Dreams</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOUT-JERUSALEM-VOL-1%2Fdp%2FB000XEOD5G%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1219684147%26sr%3D1-2&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3EOut%20of%20Jerusalem%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238585085284856514" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODvSKpedwkRkUz5E5zBR9sMmmqGLaev8CyyfWKjYgKzWxuHvraZK0ajXY_ctIqnLgYH2TJe01_aEMGaG5DJE3mb5eWXNZyCiCPAkzkjUj-UICDFDutBs4I_6x2QgyHqU6uLT4dm3tnU8/s200/of+goodly+parents.jpg" border="0" /></a>What are the things that help you understand the Book of Mormon best?<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Of course, the best way is to immerse yourself in the words of the scriptures, then spend time in prayer, letting the words and the feelings flow over you until they become a part of your very being.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Gradually, the language and messages become clearer, more personal, closer to hearing your Heavenly Father’s voice as if He were talking just to you.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>The wonderful part comes from knowing this is true. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">There are other ways, as well.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>I think it is a huge blessing to realize how intimately Heavenly Father understands each of His children.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>He realizes that the methods that are easy for one are not necessarily the talents of others.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>He provides for every condition, talent and temperament of those who are truly trying to seek Him.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span>Think for a moment about all the different experiences He provides, opening the door for the Spirit to touch our hearts in the most appropriate ways. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/08/out-of-jerusalem-series-by-h-b-moore.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: "An Overnight Field Trip" by Nichole Giles</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Fairy Squeaks</span><br /><br />This week I’m going camping with my daughter’s fifth grade class. It’s a district tradition that all the fifth graders take an overnight fieldtrip to a school owned camping area and participate in two days worth of super fun activities—like tie-dying T-shirts and night games. I’m sure there will be hiking, and roasting marshmallows, as well as other educational things to pass the time.<br /><br />She is not my first child to go on this trip, but for one reason or another, I wasn’t able to go with my older two. Luckily, the girls and boys go separately, so only about half of the fifth grade in the school is there at once, which makes it easier for the chaperones—including me.<br /><br />I’ve found her excitement nearly tangible as she has spent the last week going over her packing list—the one in her head—each day after school. It’s funny, school only started last Monday, and already we’re going on this trip. What timing! The kids haven’t even had time to figure out their routine. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/08/overnight-field-trip.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: "Hair, Skin & Nails, Part 4" by Candace E. Salima</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Dream a little dream...</span><br /><br />From last week's post on Health, we left off with:<br /><br />Diet and exercise work in concert to keep our bodies healthy at every level, including the hair, skin and nails we are discussing in this booklet. If you eat a healthy diet but don’t exercise at all – you’re losing out on the maximum benefits of both. I’m afraid we were not meant to sit in office chairs and then come home and crash on the couch for the evening. So, it’s time to get busy and find a way of eating that will work for you and a method of exercise you enjoy.<br /><br />SUPPLEMENTATION<br /><br />Supplementation, in and of itself, has been medically proven and approved by the American Medical Association (AMA) to improve the health of the average human being. There are a myriad of vitamin supplements on the market, the trick to finding the best one to use is to ask a few questions. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/08/hair-skin-nails-part-4.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: "Anybody Know Any Campfire Songs?" by Keith Fisher</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Camp Cook in Your Backyard</span><br /><br />Dinner was delicious, the dishes are done, and the Dutch ovens are put away. The sun has set and twilight is coming on. The kids settle down to sit in front of . . . what? Burning charcoal briquettes on a raised metal table is one thing, but you can’t light a fire here, in the middle of this parking lot.<br /><br />A few years ago, when I began to see ads for portable fireplaces, I laughed. I couldn’t imagine anyone finding a campsite in the wilderness, pitching a tent, and lighting a fire in a fold out fireplace. It reminded me of something I’d seen Goofy do in an old Disney cartoon.<br /><br />I forgot about the idea until about seven years ago when I parked my camp trailer in the parking lot at the Davis County Fairgrounds. We’d come for the Dutch Oven Convention. The potluck dinner had just ended. We gathered in our lawn chairs to swap stories and enjoy the company. My friend pulled out his homemade portable fire pit. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/08/anybody-know-any-campfire-songs.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "Of Flat Tires and Super Young People" by Muriel Sluyter</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Rocky Mountain Straight Talk</span><br /><br />I'd like to take you back to a moment in time where character defined itself rather clearly in my life:<br /><br />The character that takes command in moments of crucial choices has already been determined by a thousand other choices made earlier in seemingly unimportant moments ... by all those times when the voice of conscience was at war with the voice of temptation ... the decisions that, piece by piece, bit by bit, developed habits of discipline or of laziness; habits of self-sacrifice or self-indulgence; habits of duty and honor and integrity — or dishonor and shame." (Ronald Reagan)<br /><br />A couple weeks ago, I was on my way to an appointment and to take perishables from our place to a friend, when a huge nail flattened my rear tire. I stopped; a young man, Walt, stopped behind me and asked if he could help, confessing that he had never changed a tire. My husband had changed the only flat we had experienced in my car, and I didn’t know how to get at the equipment. We looked at each other and grinned, knowing this was going to be a learning experience. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/08/of-flat-tires-and-super-young-people.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: "Frugal Feature, Dry Milk" by Barbara Salsbury</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Three P's in a Pod</span><br /><br />Most of you who have even a small amount of preparedness items in your pantry usually have at least one can or package of dry milk. Many times it is there because someone or some list has specified that you must have at least some dry milk on hand. But for some unknown reason we hesitate to use it on a consistent basis. It remains in our mind as a storage item. Then too for many years dry milk has had a bad rap regarding its taste. Some of you (or your family) would almost gag – or croak - rather than drink straight dry milk. (* See below for the usual reason.) The dry milk of today is definitely a much tastier product than that of years past.<br /><br />Today let’s eliminate some of those negatives and focus on the positive points of dry milk.<br /><br />First let’s do away with one of the rumors; neither regular non-fat nor instant dry milk is more nutritional than the other. Instant dry milk is made from regular non-fat milk. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/08/frugal-feature-dry-milk.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: "Planning the Spot for Your Pond" by Heather Justesen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Heather Justesen</span><br /><br />Last week I talked about <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/08/adding-trickling-of-water-to-your-yard.html">pond-less water features</a>, one of the many options available out there. There are dozens of possible looks available, so if this option appeals to you, look around and find something that fits your needs.<o:p> </o:p> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">If you prefer to have a pond and/or stream in your yard, there are a number of considerations. First is size—how big do you want the pond to be? Most experts agree that people generally wish they could have made their ponds slightly larger than they turned out, so consider making it a bit larger than you had originally planned. Are you planning on growing plants and fish, do you want to attract frogs? -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/08/planning-spot-for-your-pond.html">Read More</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "A Twisted Fairy Tale" by C.L. Beck</span></p><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Write Up My Alley</i><br /><br />Several months ago, I attended a science fiction symposium called “Life, the Universe, and Everything.” I can almost hear you asking yourself why a woman whose life already resembles a sci-fi movie would consider going to a symposium on the subject. I don’t know, maybe because it presented a learning opportunity. Writers need continual growth to improve their craft. Or maybe because big name authors, like <a href="http://www.hatrack.com/">Orson Scott Card </a>(“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765344955/bumblebeephot-20">Ender’s Game</a>”) and Gail Carson Levine (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JM5Q/bumblebeephot-20">Ella Enchanted</a>”), were teaching.<br /><br />Naw. It’s because the symposium was free.<br /><br />Let me state for the record, I am not a big sci-fi fan. Okay, wait. Under threat of being forced to watch re-runs of the “X-Files,” I’ll secretly admit that as a kid I had a crush on Captain James T. Kirk, of the starship, Enterprise. But, “Star Trek” doesn’t count as science fiction. Everyone knows it rates up there with the works of Hemingway. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/08/twisted-fairy-tale-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Mount Rushmore" by Cheri Crane</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Crane-ium</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfngpftIvUF5i6-CufpwclmKyU5wHewpKhnaAQV8PNvTNY6HqgTF9FNH7FZMpUzDnPwrrGzO1KLCgGUO3yQRBpdIvWpJ5XLESAK4tXyje4X87f6HSwDkdxN144vizJwzP16QQ-Gf3mTg/s1600-h/MtRushmore.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfngpftIvUF5i6-CufpwclmKyU5wHewpKhnaAQV8PNvTNY6HqgTF9FNH7FZMpUzDnPwrrGzO1KLCgGUO3yQRBpdIvWpJ5XLESAK4tXyje4X87f6HSwDkdxN144vizJwzP16QQ-Gf3mTg/s400/MtRushmore.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253470431187105250" border="0" /></a>This week, as presidential campaigns rev up for the general election, I find myself thinking of a handful of past United States presidents. I'm sure we all have favorites---mine would include: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt.<br /><br />I admire George Washington because of his integrity, courage, and leadership during the formation of our country. Abraham Lincoln has always been a favorite because of his wisdom, compassion, and courage during a time that tore our country apart at the seams. I've enjoyed reading the exploits of Teddy Roosevelt and I admire his spunk and his push (the Square Deal) to provide a fair shake for average citizens and businessmen alike. Franklin D. Roosevelt overcame great personal trials to lead our country through the challenging depression era. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/08/mount-rushmore.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: "Gifts from God" by Rebecca Talley</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Rebecca Talley Writes</i><br /><br />“We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.” (7th Article of Faith)<br /><br />Those called to serve missions experience the gift of tongues as well as the interpretation of tongues. Missionaries spend only a few months in the MTC learning a foreign language before they are sent out to use their newly learned skills. Generally, language study takes years and yet, these missionaries learn languages in a relatively short time and are communicating in a foreign country. The Lord blesses those who seek to obtain the gift and interpretation of tongues and helps them to teach the gospel in an unfamiliar language.<br /><br />Prophecy and revelation are closely connected. We believe that we have a living prophet who receives revelation and then prophesies to the world the will of the Lord. The Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, also serves as the President of The LDS Church and can receive revelation for the world. A Stake President is entitled to receive revelation and prophesy for those who live within the stake boundaries. A Bishop can receive revelation for those living in the ward boundaries. Husbands and fathers receive revelation for their families. We are all entitled to receive revelation for ourselves. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/gifts-from-god.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking & Crafts: "Oodles of Artwork" by Kim Thompson</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Scribbled Scraps</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHe25ZpzB595sJv-IyAFnHuwNea_Nk9mwp9wk6WB2i3lsXpux64kTMqWRrhX2YSGprNFLteQltvqaLBwNmCz1U49FxqgAbmwudO-C8DQ3TyxS-Gv6tEsMyHe7tsdl3FhbAM45OCShkaZo/s1600-h/child_art.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHe25ZpzB595sJv-IyAFnHuwNea_Nk9mwp9wk6WB2i3lsXpux64kTMqWRrhX2YSGprNFLteQltvqaLBwNmCz1U49FxqgAbmwudO-C8DQ3TyxS-Gv6tEsMyHe7tsdl3FhbAM45OCShkaZo/s400/child_art.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253471596159901634" border="0" /></a>Now that school has started does the front of your refrigerator look like mine? I already have six or seven pieces of artwork my two younger children made during the first week of school. They rush home, excited to show it to me and then we give it a place of honor on the front of the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the pieces start to pile up and soon there isn't any room left and everytime my ten year old slams the refrigerator door, half of them go flying. I've been researching some solutions and I'd like to share some ideas with you.<br /><br />TAKE PICTURES: One of my favorite ways to keep the memory of every piece of wonderful artwork is to use a camera. Take a picture of your child with his or her art whether it is a painting, a drawing, or a 3-D project. Now, not only do you have a great visual of the art, but you also have a great memory of what your child looked like when they made that special project. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/08/oodles-of-artwork.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Baking in Bolivia" by Liz Adair</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Liz Sez</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAkGjZ7Eu5cFCJ5zTrFbd4xNrpUa-d_UjEiQiYFWTqTJ175n5RqTVocTiKlOZ7orPd0B72ubggmXwOGBDaOT-bN3uTnI36hbBfvYvaeH69k9I6_uBeM3Me5D0Ee-eKOLISJj5kgUgvGo/s1600-h/Elizabeth's+House.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAkGjZ7Eu5cFCJ5zTrFbd4xNrpUa-d_UjEiQiYFWTqTJ175n5RqTVocTiKlOZ7orPd0B72ubggmXwOGBDaOT-bN3uTnI36hbBfvYvaeH69k9I6_uBeM3Me5D0Ee-eKOLISJj5kgUgvGo/s400/Elizabeth's+House.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253472081988545874" border="0" /></a>In my last posting I blogged about how flipping burgers is the major source of funding for SWAN's microcredit capital. Today's posting is about one lady who has received a loan through SWAN.<br /><br />When Terry traveled to Bolivia in January to begin the first round of microcredit assistance, she and her Bolivian operative, Sonia, felt that the speediest way of finding an initial pool of elegible women would be to approach LDS bishops in the area and ask them to contact the most needy in their wards, tell them about the opportunity, and let them know about the informational meeting SWAN was holding to explain the microcredit program and requirements.<br /><br />Elizabeth was one of the women who attended that first meeting. She and her seven children live in a one-room shack in a very poor area of town. (The picture is of Sonia in front of Elizabeth's house.) Elizabeth's husband abandoned her for another woman and offers no support to his children. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/08/yourldsneighborhood-service-baking-in.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Back to School, But Still Time for Fun" by Rachelle Christensen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Rachelle's Writing Spot</i><br /><br />Summer sports are coming to a rapid close as the beginning weeks of school rearrange our schedules. I love this time of year, especially in a few weeks when the weather gets considerably cooler and the leaves begin to change.<br /><br />I also love this time of year because it’s easy to revel in the nostalgia of the season. I remember the excitement of getting ready for the first day of school—all the delicious new school supplies, new school clothes, maybe even a new backpack. Then school starts and after the first few days, you realize you’ve got about nine more months of homework to go. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/back-to-school-but-still-time-for-fun.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.<br /><br />And while you're there subscribe to our fantastic <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">newsletter</a>. Welcome to the <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">yourLDSneighborhood</a> newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.<br /><br />LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-46170164201265973492008-08-25T17:54:00.000-06:002008-10-04T19:59:09.651-06:00On the Newsstands August 25, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: "When Did That Happen?" by Gaynell Parker</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Musings of an LDS Writing Mom</span><br /><br />Clothing is something that has come in and out of style in varying stages throughout the centuries. Clothing design is considered somewhat of an art form, though I think that can be highly disputed. I have seen many outfits that were breathtaking, and some that made me want to run screaming to the hills.<br /><br />Take the Olympics for example. I talked about the opening ceremonies and the amazing and beautiful costumes worn for the show. THOSE were gorgeous, and definitely art.<br /><br />Some of the contestants, however, leave much to be desired. Obviously, I'm a gymnastics fan. Recently, I've been even more impressed, sort of. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/08/when-did-that-happen.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: "I Downloaded a Ghost" by Linda Scanlan a.k.a. L.S. Keilbart</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Focus on One</span><br /><br />Created by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/company/co0074499/">Porch</a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/company/co0074499/">Light Entertainment</a>, which distributes and produces some awesome movies for families, "I Downloaded a Ghost" is no exception to the rule. This non-scary ghost movie tells the tale of Stella, the new girl in town and Winston, the cabby comedian who meets death early. Stella wants to have the best haunted house for Halloween, but she is competing against Terry Tomlinson, the rich girl in town.<br /><br />Winston can't go into the after-life because he has been unjustly accused of robbing a golden cat. Stella can help, but in return Winston must help her with the haunted house. The two use each other to accomplish their goals. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/08/magical-movie-moments-i-down-loaded.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "A Chat with Lael, Caroll and Nancy" by Alison Palmer</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Tangled Words and Dreams</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCo3oOJqlj4-LJ66tWDz3XIuhiSW_YjwqV31-xEd6nC5PuLWZTtEjNFvDAk-6DUBc85HQeTYy3ygMugCXYtVaU1mQQYbcMYxwU6vKAfu5GVQM6ZhyLE9tyRXBfodWgcU9KOW5PLhFPris/s1600-h/Surprise.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCo3oOJqlj4-LJ66tWDz3XIuhiSW_YjwqV31-xEd6nC5PuLWZTtEjNFvDAk-6DUBc85HQeTYy3ygMugCXYtVaU1mQQYbcMYxwU6vKAfu5GVQM6ZhyLE9tyRXBfodWgcU9KOW5PLhFPris/s400/Surprise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253454019787397986" border="0" /></a>Well, the Surprise Packages blog tour is winding down, so I brought in the three authors, Lael Littke, Carroll Hofeling Morris and Nancy Anderson, for another engagement. Yeah, I reviewed the book already, but this time you get a peek into the kinds of things that go through my tiny brain as I’m reading a new book and a peek at what kinds of answers these three awesome ladies gave my random notions. Happy Reading!<br /><br />If you were to have a “theme” color of ink that represented your own creativity and writing style what would it be?<br /><br />Lael: A soft pea-green.<br /><br />Carroll: Celery green or a cheery yellow.<br /><br />Nancy: Any color you can find in a garden. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/08/chat-with-lael-carroll-and-nancy.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: "The Old New Trend in Fall Fashion" by Nichole Giles</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Fairy Squeaks</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7SmZ0fmC5J7LtXvOwzxHquWYGGboVR9tHo78K_7aoCz2JkdVBH6zmT1sBpSlJIQglUmSCmFTRNnf7kVTc70T_ptQpTWI4I4wcvwAtNhNLqF8X7Mxr8MH-yyCuOKxgRc_CS6vu5sfqiFN/s1600-h/legwarmers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237216831195611378" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7SmZ0fmC5J7LtXvOwzxHquWYGGboVR9tHo78K_7aoCz2JkdVBH6zmT1sBpSlJIQglUmSCmFTRNnf7kVTc70T_ptQpTWI4I4wcvwAtNhNLqF8X7Mxr8MH-yyCuOKxgRc_CS6vu5sfqiFN/s320/legwarmers.jpg" border="0" /></a>I was running through Maceys the other day…well, okay, they don’t actually let you run in Maceys. Let me rephrase that. How about, breezing quickly through on my way to meet some people…yes, that sounds much better. Anyway, I happened to pass a rack of clothing that looked very familiar. I stopped, picked up one hanger, and then another, turning my head this way and that wondering where I’d seen the outfit before.<br /><br />The thigh-length, T-shirt style top had wing sleeves, and wide horizontal black and white stripes. The pants were—actually they were calf-length, black leggings. It only took me about thirty seconds to realize why that particular outfit looked so darned familiar. I owned one just like it in the eighties. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/08/old-new-trend-in-fall-fashion.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: "Bostom Cream Cake . . . To Bake or Not to Bake" by Candace E. Salima</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Dream a little dream...</span><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6OMNs5x-xxMtHVxYHYWKVqyi1UTyFOd2RukBAMf6JQW6rgseWJyRzQvOonpXAdhJXSZXfKd1ZqqtA_0gZCQTvPa9LW0qHr9aK8RXNjYd9WuQb4JGT35d8BiRGpJ8WuGuDPBm0sdlKGI/s1600-h/VicSoto.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6OMNs5x-xxMtHVxYHYWKVqyi1UTyFOd2RukBAMf6JQW6rgseWJyRzQvOonpXAdhJXSZXfKd1ZqqtA_0gZCQTvPa9LW0qHr9aK8RXNjYd9WuQb4JGT35d8BiRGpJ8WuGuDPBm0sdlKGI/s400/VicSoto.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237789693686013986" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;">I have a nephew, Vic, who's birthday was earlier this week. We promised him a turkey dinner with all the trimmings tomorrow, in celebration. Then I asked Sete to check with Vic on what his favorite kind of cake was. I was thinking: chocolate, brownie chocolate cream, banana, apple spice, yellow, German chocolate . . . you know, all the ones I can make. Yeah, you guessed it, that's a big fat no. He wants Boston Cream Cake, which I have recently learned can also called Boston Cream Pie, but is not necessarily the same thing. That would have been helpful to know a few days ago when I was hunting ALL over the internet for a good recipe. But I think found one . . . but, mine will be better looking. (There goes that competitive nature again!)<br /><br />I don't know how good it is, but it sounds good and it is what I'm making Vic for his birthday tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, here's the recipe that all these young men will be guinea pigs for. Bronco, I swear . . . I won't give them food poisoning! -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/08/to-bake-or-not-to-bake.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: "Dutch Oven Legends" by Keith Fisher</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Camp Cook in Your Backyard</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XsNxYyMoADO6LlmaRK4hzMx568sa4dY68gnumUGeFoj7OL1Jk4bJ3ol23gy3VXDlBB12NLnm_ORxkzHVvz4Boomg1el-UmJzqOWKSzeaeOZzRSQzfWw6ed5SIS3dlPpUL0GhwcVZs08/s1600-h/winterqurtd.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237488202293555570" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XsNxYyMoADO6LlmaRK4hzMx568sa4dY68gnumUGeFoj7OL1Jk4bJ3ol23gy3VXDlBB12NLnm_ORxkzHVvz4Boomg1el-UmJzqOWKSzeaeOZzRSQzfWw6ed5SIS3dlPpUL0GhwcVZs08/s320/winterqurtd.jpg" border="0" /></a>Where has summer gone? Last spring, I planned to spend my summer catching up on social commitments, and cooking for my family. I planned to hold the block party. I’ve postponed it for a few years. Like all of you, I’m running out of weeks, and school has started again.<br /><br />Enough of my whining, how are you doing with your list? When trying to think of something to write about, I remembered a story you might enjoy. My dad told it to me once, while we were fishing.<br /><br />After talking about his youth, and a treasure hunt Dad participated in, he told about a bank robbery that took place in the early 1900’s in Spanish Fork. The robbers, Chuck and Jed, had heard about a large payroll so they made plans to steal it. They were outfitted for a trip into the mountains on horseback leading two packhorses. The daylight holdup left the two men running from the law. They stuffed the loot into Jed’s saddlebags and lit out, up the canyon and over the mountains to the east. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/08/dutch-oven-legends.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "Sabotaging the Coach" by Muriel Sluyter</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Rocky Mountain Straight Talk</span><br /><br />This is for all who remember when courts didn't turn violent criminals out on the streets to kill our little girls. It's also for those who insist that American life always has been this brutal. They're wrong. Though I can't speak for other parts of the country, that's not how it was out here. We have shed our tears, and we desperately need a break, so let's look backward for relief:<br /><br />Several years ago, my husband came from the barn, announced that he had wet socks and guessed it was time to get his 5-buckle boots out of storage. He put them on the hearth to warm - last year's dried manure firmly attached - spreading that familiar barny odor throughout the house.<br /><br />As we laughed over the vicissitudes of life with livestock - including the recycled hay on his boots - I remembered a story from past years. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/08/sabotaging-coach.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: "Grains, Beans and Has Beans or is it Have Beans" by Barbara Salsbury</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Three P's in a Pod</span><br /><br />If you are thinking preparedness you should be thinking grains and beans, and winter and soups. Or else you should be thinking what a tremendous bonus grains and beans can be to your budget. With the economy playing games that might be a good way to be thinking.<br /><br />However, are you thinking, what in the world can Barbara be thinking? Its still summer. It’s still time to play. It’s still time to shop and vacation. Why is Barbara thinking about grains and beans? With all of this thinking going on there must be an answer somewhere.<br /><br />And of course there is. Once again there is a different slant to your preparedness program that perhaps you haven’t thought of - yet. Now is the time to be planning ahead, even for a short term of cold weather and winter, let alone a long-term pantry program. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/08/grains-beans-and-has-beans-or-is-it.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: "Add the Trickling of Water to Your Lawn" by Heather Justesen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Heather Justesen</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWr6g9EC1MRqjDDUHyBkFrMRMVem68mTaFAlAKs0oF3Tz1IZ2SCZx11tTCPsWrXpsPkDB9rpc5lFRDztG_62EfkfibhIcqBfjULilI6V0aKJ6P8walIocvJ3GhM6I36jeZzGTkSWI_tEs2/s1600-h/water1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWr6g9EC1MRqjDDUHyBkFrMRMVem68mTaFAlAKs0oF3Tz1IZ2SCZx11tTCPsWrXpsPkDB9rpc5lFRDztG_62EfkfibhIcqBfjULilI6V0aKJ6P8walIocvJ3GhM6I36jeZzGTkSWI_tEs2/s400/water1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237424412980302818" border="0" /></a>There's something so soothing about the sound of running water. I've always had a thing for a bubbling creek, or the sound of waves lapping up on the lake or ocean shore, so when I started looking at putting together my landscape, I knew I had to put in some kind of water feature. There's a huge variety of water features you can put into a yard, from above-ground ponds to pool-less waterfalls, to a short brook running along a shady area to large ponds where owners can actually go fishing.<br /><br />I'll be covering many different kinds of water features, how to build and maintain them over the next couple of weeks including plants and animal life you might want to include in your yard.<br /><br />Many people have worries about a pool of water in their yard. The possibility of a child drowning is the stuff nightmares are made of whiI know a lot of families are concerned about having leaves three options: first, you can fence the water feature in; second, you can build a pool-less water fall; or third, build it above grade. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/08/adding-trickling-of-water-to-your-yard.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "<span style="font-style: italic;">Farworld</span> Review and Interview with J. Scott Savage" by C.L. Beck</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Write Up My Alley</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTwl6IQYI7qbeiYFzqDqB86AQFXqvK123PHLbXc7kUeUTEFUwoGMeqGhcrQdWpTDb7faMpxZm3oMKAkvfLc5z3xle5qqS8gKfNldE-olRxZ_2xz6mCE9bGGEWcZdEtkEwDT-TMDC1Zjc/s1600-h/Farworld_Water.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTwl6IQYI7qbeiYFzqDqB86AQFXqvK123PHLbXc7kUeUTEFUwoGMeqGhcrQdWpTDb7faMpxZm3oMKAkvfLc5z3xle5qqS8gKfNldE-olRxZ_2xz6mCE9bGGEWcZdEtkEwDT-TMDC1Zjc/s400/Farworld_Water.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253457803221401346" border="0" /></a>Thirteen-year-old Marcus Kanenas dreams of a world far away. It’s a place where magic is as common as sunshine and where animals and trees talk. His name for the place? Farworld.<br /><br />Quite unexpectedly, Marcus magically travels from Earth to Farworld. There he meets Kyja, who would love to cast spells and work magic, but alas, is unable. Marcus also meets Master Therapass, a master wizard whose knowledge can change not only Marcus and Kyja’s fate, but the fate of Farworld and Earth, as well.<br /><br />Enter members of the Dark Circle, whose goal is to exert evil influence, gain power, and eventually destroy all that is good, including Farworld. Marcus and Kyja must travel to Water Keep, their first leg in a journey where they hope to convince the Elementals—beings of water, land, air and fire—to join forces with them. While at Water Keep, Marcus and Kyja face the Summoners—members of the Dark Circle, who can command the living and the dead—and other dreaded creatures. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/08/farworld-review-interview-with-j-scott.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Huckleberry Season" by Cheri Crane</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Crane-ium</span><br /><br />Huckleberry season is upon us. I've been scouting known patches for quite some time, in the hopes of harvesting these luscious berries. Last year most of the blossoms froze, and the berries that did survive didn't flourish because of drought conditions. It was quite possibly the worst year ever for huckleberries in the history of Bear Lake Valley. Instead of my usual 15-20 pints in the freezer, I only found enough berries to fill one pint. Yes, I was extremely sad. So was my husband and our offspring, who love the huckleberry desserts I usually create for the holidays.<br /><br />I was introduced to the great huckleberry tradition by my mother years ago. Sometime during the first two weeks of August, we would usually journey to her homeland of Wyoming to pick enough of these purple berries for tasty treats like pie, homemade ice cream, and oft times, pancakes. My maternal grandmother could create huckleberry delights that amazed us all, and her recipes are closely guarded secrets. Sometimes. Usually, I give them out to anyone who wants a copy, but don't tell my family. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/08/huckleberry-season.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: "The Same Organization" by Rebecca Talley</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Rebecca Talley Writes</span><br /><br />The 6th Article of Faith reads, “We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.”<br /><br />In our family, we recite an Article of Faith each night after we read scriptures. It helps the kids to remember our basic beliefs and helps them to explain to their friends exactly what we believe. I have a daughter named Angela so when my older kids were younger they would mistakenly say, “ . . . namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelas.” I would try to correct them, but they’d get mixed up and, somehow, say evangelas instead of evangelists. Since then, every time I see this Article of Faith, I think about how my kids used to say it.<br /><br />This Article of Faith explains our belief in establishing the same church as was instituted by the Savior himself. While Jesus walked the earth, he set up his church. The LDS Church seeks to follow the same pattern as set forth by the Savior. We believe that we have the same organization as the Lord’s church during biblical times.-- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/same-organization.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking & Crafts: "Paper Bag Albums" by Kim Thompson</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Scribbled Scraps</span><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: justify;" class="post-title"> <span class="item-control blog-admin pid-1470342585"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5847232439225175875&postID=8366690065062065719" title="Edit Post"> <span class="quick-edit-icon"> </span> </a> </span> </h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="entry"><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvE8ANCVXbD0YyXhxgQl575ZFKpFY1lghUgpbxF4iayAcS6RLkXlRDstxdSMd1MfRXBaD3K_3XCfVXWIhfym4bEaIc0mSl6SEBa4E1rNOkdFfjDknlh8ziHUlwsZuCaZQPfxB5E_aIYwA/s1600-h/Album_Fanview_(Small)%5B1%5D.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237488469931905874" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 230px; height: 176px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvE8ANCVXbD0YyXhxgQl575ZFKpFY1lghUgpbxF4iayAcS6RLkXlRDstxdSMd1MfRXBaD3K_3XCfVXWIhfym4bEaIc0mSl6SEBa4E1rNOkdFfjDknlh8ziHUlwsZuCaZQPfxB5E_aIYwA/s320/Album_Fanview_(Small)%5B1%5D.JPG" width="212" border="0" height="149" /></a>Paper bag albums are fun and easy to make. They make great gifts and are a fun way to use your duplicate pictures. One fun thing about them is that the bag opening creates a pocket where you can place journaling cards, and memorabilia such as tickets stubs, notes, etc. The pocket is also the perfect size for a photo CD.<br /><br />You can use any size paper bag, but my favorite are just standard size lunch bags. When folded, they create an album that is approximately 6x6 inches.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Step by Step Instructions:</span><br /></strong><br />1) Take 3-5 paper bags and lay them on top of each other alternating ends. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/08/paper-bag-albums.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Burgers for Bolivia" by Liz Adair</span><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Liz Sez<br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8aqNcTrivgXm07KDuKIAg4wayywehdSo2M1957mspWctHx1rOBuagvQcZ7WEnXacBfUBaLxnVdHHcx11Tr5-ktu0-nV2OM7zU0cbGX0ewhtuXWXVyXmMHtbKT7trDJhWtFkZlISZkrVYr/s1600-h/Terryswan.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237355914170442978" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8aqNcTrivgXm07KDuKIAg4wayywehdSo2M1957mspWctHx1rOBuagvQcZ7WEnXacBfUBaLxnVdHHcx11Tr5-ktu0-nV2OM7zU0cbGX0ewhtuXWXVyXmMHtbKT7trDJhWtFkZlISZkrVYr/s400/Terryswan.JPG" border="0" /></a>It’s the end of the summer and that means that the Pattie Wagon shuts down. Every Wednesday, from May through August, my daughter Terry parks her concession wagon in the parking lot of the hardware store and opens for business from eleven a.m. until seven p.m.<br /><br />The owner of the hardware store lets Terry borrow electricity and use his dumpster, and the townspeople stop to buy burgers and meatball sandwiches because they know the proceeds go to fund microcredits for poor women in Bolivia through <a href="http://www.swanforhumanity.org/">SWAN </a>(Serving Women Across Nations). Terry also funnels Pattie Wagon money to <a href="http://www.ofdc.org/">OFDC</a>(Opportunity Fund for Developing Countries) which supplies mosquito nets, malaria medicine and school supplies to children in Kenya and Nepal. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/08/yourldsneighborhood-service-burgers-for.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "The 2008 Olympic Finish Up" by Steve Christensen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Sports Break</span><br /><br />This year’s Olympics has been filled with exciting finishes, record setting performances, painful disappointments, and even accusations of poor judging and possible cheating allegations. It has been an Olympics that will be unforgettable. The Opening Ceremonies were incredible, Michael Phelps lived up to the hype, the gymnastics were tense and exciting, and many other sports events showed why the Olympics is one of the most watched events in the World.<br /><br />It began with the Opening Ceremonies which was an awesome sight and feast for the eyes and ears. Beijing put on an incredible show to get the Olympics underway. The dancers and the costumes they were wearing was a treat to watch. The fireworks and awesome displays were amazing to behold. It was fun to watch the athletes enter the stadium each representing their respective countries and each full of hope and excitement at the thoughts of competing with one another for the right to be awarded the gold medal of their particular sport. -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/08/2008-olympics-finishes-up.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.<br /><br />And while you're there subscribe to our fantastic <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">newsletter</a>. Welcome to the <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">yourLDSneighborhood</a> newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world—all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.<br /><br />LDS Newsletter Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.<br /></div><br /></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-15908547120149435212008-08-19T06:00:00.004-06:002008-09-05T09:36:41.980-06:00On the Newsstands August 18, 2008<b>Arts & Entertainment: <span style="font-style: italic;">I've Made the Semis</span> by Gaynell Parker</b><hr /><a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Musings of a LDS Writing Mom</span></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCVAR_h_3gm38hle0vqAbjnrPfhKkmocO-OlCJeRA0c3t5uhL6VULgtrdi5fnpyhuNqBNFkmraXaweXMzjYJ7rADfczrytP8J_wdsevae5QEN3w6Ktc0Rt_xVAwy4LVngYo0IEXCy5vZ0/s1600-h/2008cofair.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 128px; height: 104px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCVAR_h_3gm38hle0vqAbjnrPfhKkmocO-OlCJeRA0c3t5uhL6VULgtrdi5fnpyhuNqBNFkmraXaweXMzjYJ7rADfczrytP8J_wdsevae5QEN3w6Ktc0Rt_xVAwy4LVngYo0IEXCy5vZ0/s400/2008cofair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234848474940118386" vspace="5" align="left" border="0" hspace="5" /></a>Well...since my theme this month is the Olympics, I've got a few items of my own. Remember how I mentioned going to county and state fairs for viewing art and enjoying it for low cost? Well, this week was our county fair, and I entered a painting. It was kind of a last resort -- I felt I'd committed to doing it and the painting was the only one handy. It framed up nice, and everyone commented on it when I turned it in.<br /><br />My hubby insisted on taking this shot...so now you know what I look like with extremely short hair. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/08/ive-made-semis.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Nim's Island</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Linda Scanlan<hr /></span><a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Focus on One</span></a><br /><br />Nim's Island is a cross between Romancing the Stone and Swiss Family Robinson.<br /><br />Nim's mother was lost at sea. Nim's story is that the ship Buccaneer caused a whale to swallow her mother. Her father is a marine biologist. They live on their own island (Nim's of course) under the shadow of an inactive volcano.<br /><br />Dad goes out to sea for what he believes is a couple of days. Where would the story be if nothing happened? Jack gets caught up in a monsoon and his boat is severely damaged and takes on water. His whole goal is to get back to Nim. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/08/magical-movie-moments-nims-island.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: <span style="font-style: italic;">The Mist of Quarry Harbor by Liz Adair</span> by Alison Palmer</span><hr /><a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Tangled Words and Dreams</span></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80hX29CKIORNrDX21PxBrcY7A31Q4r1gFW29BgZzaHZ42YuGW0iJZxOLgC5O0ZrF-r1BswmVUE3KD3XllB71aafi8KvpLWE0zd1GUDlKqqoj4c1yJxCA-wl8Rpdc-WKk5d1dQkoWLeU0/s1600-h/mistsofquarry.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 128px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80hX29CKIORNrDX21PxBrcY7A31Q4r1gFW29BgZzaHZ42YuGW0iJZxOLgC5O0ZrF-r1BswmVUE3KD3XllB71aafi8KvpLWE0zd1GUDlKqqoj4c1yJxCA-wl8Rpdc-WKk5d1dQkoWLeU0/s320/mistsofquarry.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242554250024921650" border="0" /></a>Shame on me. I finally got my curriculum outline and should be hard at work on my next project, but what did I do yesterday? I read a book.<br /><br />I'd picked up <span style="font-style: italic;">The Mist of Quarry Harbor</span> by Liz Adair a while ago and never had a chance to read it. It turns out I just needed a good procrastination excuse. All it took was a very tight book deadline to mull over and suddenly I wanted nothing more than to read a good book.<br /><br />I chose <span style="font-style: italic;">The Mist of Quarry Harbor</span> for its mysterious cover. I have to admit, a boat in the middle of nowhere was a very appealing idea at the moment. Plus, I liked the back cover blurb because I could completely relate. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/08/mist-of-quarry-harbor-by-liz-adair.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: <span style="font-style: italic;">That’s My Girl</span> by Nichole Giles<hr /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/">Fairy Squeak</a><br /><br /></span>My daughter started school again today. I have four kids, and she is the only one who started today because the seventh graders start a day earlier than the rest of the junior high. Part of me is glad to see school starting again, and another part of me is so bummed that summer is over.<br /><br />After all, summer is my favorite season. That’s not to say that the warm weather won’t continue for a bit, but all the great activities associated with summer will slow down or stop completely now that school is in session. For instance, the pool in our city closes on Labor Day. Camping becomes more difficult with bedtimes and school days to worry about, and all the stores are clearing out the sundresses, shorts, swimsuits, and sandals. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/08/thats-my-girl.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: <span style="font-style: italic;">Texas Sheet Cake</span> by Candace E. Salima<hr /> </span><a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Dream a little dream ...</span></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidVgoVJbxCHlCpG43UISl4GC8Jjn112bt5hJawVTR3k8iP-mnd7c99fUYODbdfT1xa4aLmXhJMjikIsq5j3Nc7Ux2Fo7XmXUAhE8G79i_P_PM4ZT1RumT31xVaJ5Dm5YCwTC09uxpptI/s1600-h/texassheetcake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidVgoVJbxCHlCpG43UISl4GC8Jjn112bt5hJawVTR3k8iP-mnd7c99fUYODbdfT1xa4aLmXhJMjikIsq5j3Nc7Ux2Fo7XmXUAhE8G79i_P_PM4ZT1RumT31xVaJ5Dm5YCwTC09uxpptI/s320/texassheetcake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242555136495967890" border="0" /></a>One of my all time favorite desserts is Texas Sheet Cake. Love 'em! I used to make them all the time, having a killer recipe and all, but then the weight started packing on and I had to stop. That's when I started making 'em for other people, or inviting people over for dinner so Alvin and I could have one or two pieces before it was devoured by our guests. Hey, when you love Texas Sheet Cake as much as I do you've got figure out a way.<br /><br />So this great to service with Vanilla Ice Cream with Hot Fudge topping (yum!) or all by itself. It's a wonderful dessert for almost any American dish.<br /><br />So get ready and start baking. It's easy to do and delicious to devour! -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/08/recipe-texas-sheet-cake.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Party Tomorrow</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Keith Fisher<hr /></span><a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Camp Cook in your Backyard</span></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJE9EkN8cw59PavKa2e4p8xX-MJcmrEGoI8XViYh9qyhirAnRblXD0HjoRbGPJbRDxdCqu1RAUZUJiUU3m-tVHNTmKXBsqhQLG8vWHW7FKPO5NJJPcLuJKiIDIdujsG7KtxcUX8ZXS9Ts/s1600-h/Mvc-002f.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234861918039607810" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJE9EkN8cw59PavKa2e4p8xX-MJcmrEGoI8XViYh9qyhirAnRblXD0HjoRbGPJbRDxdCqu1RAUZUJiUU3m-tVHNTmKXBsqhQLG8vWHW7FKPO5NJJPcLuJKiIDIdujsG7KtxcUX8ZXS9Ts/s200/Mvc-002f.jpg" border="0" /></a>I am lost trying to get ready for a dinner party tomorrow. Perhaps I'll tell you about next time. until then, I've posted one of my favorite easy recipes for you to enjoy.<br /><br /><div align="left"><strong>Spiced Pork Chops with Red Sauce</strong><br /></div><strong>12-inch Dutch Oven</strong><br /><ul><li>1-2 lbs. Top loin pork chops<br /></li><li>Red sauce (recipe follows)<br /></li><li>Spice mix rub (recipe follows) </li></ul><strong>Spice mix rub:</strong> -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/08/by-keith-fisher-i-am-lost-trying-to-get.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Why Do Children Join Gangs?</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Muriel Sluyter<hr /></span><a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Rocky Mountain Straight Talk</span></a><br /><br />Since I have had the fun of being stuck at our daughter and son-in-law's house, I have taken advantage of the opportunity to question him concerning kids and gangs. Here are some of the things I learned:<br /><br />If a child is to resist joining a gang, he must have a nurturing mother IN THE HOME, who is emotionally available to him. He must know that she loves and respects him and is concerned for his needs. He must have a strong father IN THE HOME, who is more intimidating than the gang members. He must know that his father is strong enough, not only to keep him in line, but to protect him, and he must have a fear of incurring his father's displeasure. Not a very fashionable reality, to be sure, but then, truth and fashion rarely have more than a nodding acquaintance. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/08/why-do-children-join-gangs.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Should I? or Can I? It's Not a Grammar Lesson</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Barbara Salsbury<hr /></span><a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Three P's in a Pod</span></a><br /><br />For many of us this time of year brings memories of gardens and canning. Some good memories, as in assembly lines and family projects, others bring back thoughts of how tired we were.<br /><br />Since this time of year does bring thoughts of bushels, peeling, jam and bottles I want to eliminate one word from your vocabulary … guilt. Following are a few pointers to help you decide – Should I? Can I? Do I want to? Is it practical? And I am really not a “Molly Mormon” – Do I have to?<br /><br />Home canning is one of those skills that should be part of our training. Training? What training? Let me rephrase that – canning is a very good, very valuable skill to have. If the need arises and things are so tough that the only way you can have jam or jelly is to make it yourself, it’s nice to be able to make it yourself and have it be edible. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/08/should-i-or-can-i-its-not-grammar.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: <span style="font-style: italic;">Lily to Surprise Neighbors</span> by Heather Justesen<hr /></span><a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Heather Justesen</span></a><br /><br /><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template"> <a name="3853050294211423072"></a> <div class="post-body entry-content"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhILOatuiKgre9a18AVVL8IP4EyOhJVzjwdrlxdascag4s8RC9fAzvPlbjVviJlv7WuHwc9-gb5QDY6I2W-Y8z_ThYtYM_b3yreanFvwHvyz7Z1eCeYNbTttkv2w1sAnVWBC06i3uImbud/s1600-h/lily+%282%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 106px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhILOatuiKgre9a18AVVL8IP4EyOhJVzjwdrlxdascag4s8RC9fAzvPlbjVviJlv7WuHwc9-gb5QDY6I2W-Y8z_ThYtYM_b3yreanFvwHvyz7Z1eCeYNbTttkv2w1sAnVWBC06i3uImbud/s400/lily+%282%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234821013613169426" border="0" /></a>In my previous home, I noticed these funny stalks growing up in a neighbor's yard, but with no green foliage. The next thing I knew, they were covered in pink flowers. I actually wondered at first if they were fake because there were still no leaves anywhere on the plants. Later I learned what the plants were--and heard a humorous story about them.<br /><p>This flower is called many things, Lycoris, Surprise Lily, Magic Lily, Blushing Lady, but most commonly it is called 'Naked Lady' because the leaves come out in early spring, hang around until early summer, then disappear for weeks before the blooms appear. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/08/lily-to-surprise-neighbors.html">Read More</a><br /></p></div></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Game's Afoot</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by C.L. Beck<hr /></span><a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Write Up My Alley</span></a><br /><br />The game of internet tag is going around and I’m delighted to say that my husband, Russ, has declared that I’m “it." Back when I was a kid—in the age of the Velociraptor and the Tyrannosaurus Rex—tag was one of my favorite pastimes. I remember a number of variations including “food tag”. In that version, if the person who was “it” reached out to touch you, you’d squat down, name a food and you were safe.<br /><br />It was such an easy game back then, but I sure couldn’t do it now. No, it’s not the food that’s the problem—my memory for food is even better than when I was younger. Face it; once you’re over fifty, you’re too old to do anything but eat. I am sure I could hold a bag of Cheetos in one hand, a Snickers in the other, and still name some kind of food. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/08/games-afoot-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">School Days</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Cheri Crane<hr /></span><a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/">Crane-ium</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjafghvIKMw6-rSReGpFaXa6RdzzvMWB6i3WwuYNg8YPNaevCkXcm629uL72s881hOOKKYvjyYjiCWOz2eBI4Z37e4CTWRFAuWeSJP8pRSS2nmFKODL9V8p6aGxiqWN2v3CtGlITtdys/s1600-h/schoolhouse.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjafghvIKMw6-rSReGpFaXa6RdzzvMWB6i3WwuYNg8YPNaevCkXcm629uL72s881hOOKKYvjyYjiCWOz2eBI4Z37e4CTWRFAuWeSJP8pRSS2nmFKODL9V8p6aGxiqWN2v3CtGlITtdys/s400/schoolhouse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242559793545267202" border="0" /></a>Earlier today as I was returning home from a jaunt to Utah, I swung by a couple of stores in Logan. Since my husband and I are now considered an empty-nesters (our youngest son is currently serving a mission in Canada) I'm obviously out of the groove for the yearly tradition known as "Back-to-School Shopping." Both of the stores I happened to visit today were filled with harried parents and their offspring. It was rather fascinating to watch.<br /><br />"Here's a pair of pants on sale," a hopeful mother offered.<br /><br />Her daughter, who looked to be between the ages of 12-14 replied: "Puh-leeze. The zipper is like gi-nor-mous!"<br /><br />"What's wrong with the zipper?"<br /><br />"It's like 5 miles long!" -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/08/school-days.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">He's Home</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Rebecca Talley<hr /></span><a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Rebecca Talley Writes</span></a><br /><br />I’ve been somewhat absent from the blog world for the past week or so as I’ve been preparing for my son to return home from his mission. We’ve been cleaning and getting the boys’ room ready, which is no small feat. How two boys can be so messy is beyond me. Any why I agreed to letting them have toads, and lizards, and a turtle in their room is even more beyond me.<br /><br />Wednesday we were all working hard so we could leave for the airport to pick up my son. We’d been counting `down the days (I admit, I was counting down the hours) and were all so excited for his arrival. The phone rang. We figured it was probably my son. As soon as I heard his voice, I knew something was wrong. He explained that his plane in Rome had been delayed and by the time it arrived in New York, he’d missed his connecting flight. He couldn’t make it home Wednesday night. He could make it as far as Salt Lake, but no farther. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/hes-home.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooks & Crafts: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Back to School Crafts</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Kim Thompson<hr /></span><a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Scribbled Scraps</span></a><br /><br />My oldest daughter started high school today. I refuse to believe I have a child that old. At our house, getting ready for school is a huge undertaking. With six children, attending four different schools, there are lots of schedules to arrange, clothes to buy, teachers to meet--you get the picture!<br /><br />Some of my children are more excited for the new school year than others. There are lots of ways to help your kids get excited for school. Making their own back-to-school crafts is one of them. I've been researching kids crafts online and I found a bunch of fun things you can make with your kids to get them excited about school and get their creative juices flowing. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/08/back-to-school-crafts.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Serving in the Campground</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Liz Adairf<hr /></span><a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Liz Sez</span></a><br /><br />Our family has two major campouts each year: Memorial Day and Labor Day. We camp close to home, always at the same places.<br /><br />Memorial day, we camp at recreational property owned by our stake that sits on the Stillaguamish River. It’s a beautiful site and over the years has been developed to the point that two sets of missionaries have been called to staff it. They preside over the work parties that come from nearby wards and stakes to cut wood, beat back the blackberry bushes, and build all the amenities that make camping more enjoyable. (In western Washington, that generally means a roof of some kind, and the 30- by 50-foot cabana is the thing that draws us there during the perennially iffy May weather.) -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/08/yourldsneighborhood-service-serving-in.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Michael Phelps, Worlds Best Swimmer</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Steven Christensen<hr /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Steve's Sports Break</span><br /><br />The Olympics are about half way over now and it has been exciting to watch the best athletes in the world compete with one another. My wife and I have been watching the swimming events every evening all week long having a particular interest in Michael Phelps. Michael has been amazing in every race that we have seen him swim in. He has blown away the competition in every race and received a gold medal for the 5 times that he has raced up to the point I am writing this article. He has 3 races left and if he gets the gold in each of those races he will be the first athlete in Olympics history to get 8 or more Gold medals in a single Olympics. He already has 11 career Gold medals which is an Olympic record for the most gold medals in an athlete’s Olympics career. I didn’t know Phelps very well and thought that maybe I should, where he is the greatest Olympic athlete in history and is from the United States. I did some quick research to find out who he was and share my findings on my blog.<br /><br />According to the Wikipedia online encyclopedia: -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/08/michael-phelps-worlds-best-swimmer-ever.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-10138200461575926002008-08-15T06:00:00.002-06:002008-09-04T23:07:06.143-06:00On the Newsstands August 14, 2008<b>Arts & Entertainment: <i>Pageantry, Custom and Art</i> by Gaynell Parker</b><hr /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The whole world is focused on one location, right now. The Olympic games in Bejing, China. Normally, any attention focused on China would not necessarily be a good thing. Many of us have issues with their communist rule.<br /><br />However, the Olympics have given them an opportunity to show the world they aren’t so bad, and give them a glimpse of the proud past they have known.<br /><br />The opening ceremonies were a mixture of modern technology with ancient culture and arts. It was amazing watching a painting being created from people doing modern dance. Many of the costumes being worn by the participants were gorgeous and an art form in and of themselves. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/08/pageantry-custom-and-art.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><b>Arts & Entertainment/Movies: <i>Good Boy</i> by Linda Scanlan</b><hr /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BXXoEK5ueYY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BXXoEK5ueYY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">It's My Dog Skip meets E.T., 19 October 2003</span><br />Author: mack3175 from Metairie, Louisiana<br /><br />"This is a very entertaining lighthearted film, it's for anybody who has a pet. 12 year old Owen Baker(Liam Aiken) is a very lonely boy, who's best friends so far seem to be the neighbors dogs he walks everyday. Owen really wants one of his own. One day his parents take him to the pound to get one. He finds a cute dog and names him Hubble. But Owen slowly discovers, this is no ordinary dog. Who just happens to be a very intelligent dog from outer space. A pure delight for the whole family. Matthew Broderick is also good as the voice of Hubble. It's funny and delightful. Please don't quit making movies like this." -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/08/magical-movie-moments-good-boy.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: <span style="font-style: italic;">Booklover's Cookbook</span> by Alison Palmer</span><hr /><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> </h3> <div class="post-body entry-content"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBook-Lovers-Cookbook-Celebrated-Literature%2Fdp%2F0345465466%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1215020638%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3EThe%20Book%20Lover%27s%20Cookbook%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1QDnSJLjmU48f9QXH03fc084xlxrTmFW3P9aXfH5tdV6lUcEMmb_PwVxQfsTSPEEXASoFRmPoeL3Q2d4AnuaGuDhN_A48EACPRTPUz78DhE2vODgYAkztbhQJXNbhRGcFU9YQyaw2Go/s200/book+lovers+cookbook+%28large%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233452801707782834" border="0" /></a>I was excited to see this fun cookbook become available in a paperback version.<span style=""> </span>Though hardbound is more durable, I could only wistfully check it out of the library from time to time rather than afford the hardbound price.<span style=""> </span>When I discovered the release of the less expensive version it was in my hand very quickly. <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Have you ever wanted to curl up in a comfortable chair and read a cookbook from beginning to end?<span style=""> </span>Well, this is one time you definitely will want to.<span style=""> </span>Really, I’m not that weird.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBook-Lovers-Cookbook-Celebrated-Literature%2Fdp%2F0345465466%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1215020638%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3EThe%20Book%20Lover%27s%20Cookbook%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">The Book Lover’s Cookbook </a>by Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and <a href="http://janetkayjensen.blogspot.com/">Janet Kay Jensen</a> is a little different than reading that red and white checked cookbook you got at your bridal shower and think you can’t get rid of.<span style=""> </span>Take a plate of your favorite reading munchies, get comfortable and get ready to be inspired. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/08/book-lovers-cookbook-by-shaunda-kennedy.html">Read More</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: <span style="font-style: italic;">Expert Advice</span> by Nichole Giles</span></p><hr /><em><br /></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-ZF50Huet43m1MH_pgnYw7vQDcNp3ioWFPR6gpB8Aul0eNH48n_ajSmB0zGXdEP7HBLScKf4GsNMOD5EBSLQrwGDlBgi3N7Rs5Sl1u3KNviK7C_TLa_WfVI3ySYyq__qwGld2XZUtaSg/s1600-h/SWO_049.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233133925830974770" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-ZF50Huet43m1MH_pgnYw7vQDcNp3ioWFPR6gpB8Aul0eNH48n_ajSmB0zGXdEP7HBLScKf4GsNMOD5EBSLQrwGDlBgi3N7Rs5Sl1u3KNviK7C_TLa_WfVI3ySYyq__qwGld2XZUtaSg/s320/SWO_049.jpg" border="0" /></a>Earlier this week, I received an email from one of my favorite cousins who was begging for expert advice. Just to clarify, she wasn’t declaring me an expert. The following email went out to her entire email list:<br /><br /><em>Hey everyone, I need some expert advice!! Its [my husband’s] 20th high school reunion this Friday, and we're going with [some friends]. Here's the question: what would you wear to this shindig?</em><br /><br />Interestingly enough, this past month I’ve given a lot of thought to wardrobe choices and what is appropriate for different situations. Okay, fine, I’ll admit it. I think this way regularly. Here was my response to her: -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/08/expert-advice.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: <span style="font-style: italic;">Hair, Skin & Nails - Part 2</span> by Candace E. Salima</span><hr /><br />From our last health post we closed with: While my taste buds may love a big, juicy, well-stacked cheeseburger . . . my body doesn’t. Of course, how can I pass up those delicious chocolate covered cherries that come with the holidays? I’d better pass them up if I want to maintain any kind of health. Pizza, burgers, fried chicken, french fries . . . oh yeah, I crave them, I want them . . . but there are better, tastier alternatives. Foods that are low in saturated fats and completely devoid of trans fats. What are saturated fats? What are trans fats? Why are they bad for you?<br /><br />And now:<br /><br />Saturated Fats • For centuries, saturated fats, such as coconut oil, have been a healthy part of the traditional diet. Unfortunately, in the last century, the evolution of the expeller-pressed seed-based vegetables has come to fruition. These saturated fats, which must be heavily refined and then hydrogenated in order to become a solid fat, are a major contributor to the multiple diseases of the heart. In turn, when the heart is affected, there is a chain reaction which manifests itself outwardly. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/08/health-hair-skin-nails-part-2.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: <span style="font-style: italic;">This or That? Why not both?</span> by Keith Fisher</span><hr /><br />I taught about Dutch oven cooking to a group of campers in one of our stake parks once, and the discussion turned to aluminum vs. cast iron. I talked about the problems and virtues of each kind and the subject of Alzheimer’s came up. One of the class members raised her hand, she said she worked at a mid-west university, and according to the studies they’d done, there is a connection between aluminum and Alzheimer’s<br /><br />Since this was a class on Dutch oven, I tried to get back to the point. I didn’t get the particulars or her references. Before I could change the subject, she told us of a study they did on cadavers. I don’t want to show my ignorance here, but suffice it say, she believed there is a connection. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/08/this-or-that-why-not-both.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: <span style="font-style: italic;">Why Do Some People Hate Themselves?</span> by Muriel Sluyter</span><hr /><br />With self esteem being the most aggressively touted attribute in modern society, why do we still have so many people who hate themselves? Remember when Madonna published a book filled with pornographic pictures, in which she was the star? A well known psychologist (whom I respect) looked at that book and said that it showed an extreme depth of self-hatred. What makes a famous performer with great talent hate herself, and why would she expose her troubled personality so blatantly?<br /><br />Where does it start? Are the parents at fault? If so, why do three children in one family like and respect themselves, and one hate and abuse himself? It happens all the time, and everyone knows it. There is usually one child in a family whose character and behavior patterns are more constructive than the rest, and one whose patterns are more destructive. Why? No one knows all the answers to this tough question, but it helps to realize that each of these four children has a distinct personality and behavior patterns. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/08/why-do-some-people-hate-themselves.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><b>LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: <i>Going Tropical in Northern Climates with Bamboo</i> by Heather Justesen</b><hr /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXdAnX9XFRNfWirxjtVTraH1qwoegyfnQyUzR6bJIzshASHx4YW6XWYkmCKs3zLuiZrw7OFrG4X-9vn7J6ujHIdFxdelrrrefdT5hHK6-ycgxSXL2tB9-O87cUReumJ2Z9K9kBDUEzcPx/s1600-h/fargesiay1y2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXdAnX9XFRNfWirxjtVTraH1qwoegyfnQyUzR6bJIzshASHx4YW6XWYkmCKs3zLuiZrw7OFrG4X-9vn7J6ujHIdFxdelrrrefdT5hHK6-ycgxSXL2tB9-O87cUReumJ2Z9K9kBDUEzcPx/s400/fargesiay1y2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233352996982035522" border="0" /></a>Do you love the feel of the tropics, but live in a northern climate? I love the my old-fashioned cottage garden, but that hasn’t stopped me from thinking about adding some different elements in far corners of my back yard. I’d love a bamboo screen between me and the neighbors—not that there’s anything wrong with the neighbors, they’re great people, but it would be nice to go into the back yard in my pajamas to let the chickens out for the day without wondering who was seeing me.<o:p> </o:p> <p class="MsoNormal">I never thought I could grow anything but those little lucky bamboo plants before, but learned differently last year. Bamboo comes in many varieties—including some that are cold hardy to -20 degrees F. You say you live in zone 4 and get four feet of snow in the winter? No problem! There’s a variety of bamboo for you. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/08/going-tropical-in-northern-climates.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><b>LDS Outlets/Humor: <span style="font-style: italic;">yourLDSNeighborhood Wins Distribution Rights</span> by C.L. Beck</b></p><hr /><br />TA-DA! (Sound of trumpet blowing.)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSDiqNQM3WwKlokG0LSGTLsnGcZ0klXKJ29J5-T4Hwq2MdQV7lt3b6wVXiel2c3tFVnWmMUcTzFdW9F_tpDOORH0A4KUobP89xeyAcPutNjx_HGpwkSillweFvvpGPB5PAdLAqEneIGk/s1600-h/img_1427c.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233376895419530258" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSDiqNQM3WwKlokG0LSGTLsnGcZ0klXKJ29J5-T4Hwq2MdQV7lt3b6wVXiel2c3tFVnWmMUcTzFdW9F_tpDOORH0A4KUobP89xeyAcPutNjx_HGpwkSillweFvvpGPB5PAdLAqEneIGk/s320/img_1427c.png" align="left" border="0" /></a><br />Normally I do a humorous blog, but occasionally a "once in a lifetime" opportunity comes along and I just have to tell you about it. Okay, maybe this is a "twice in lifetime" opportunity. I'm not sure. But whichever it is, you won't want to miss it.<br /><br />Here's the press release:<br /><br /><em><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">yourLDSneighborhood.com</a> wins distribution rights to 2008 Especially for Youth™ music CD; The disc will be available for sale starting August 23; Popular artists include Jessie Clark Funk, Dan Beck and Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band</em> -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/08/yourldsneighborhoodcom-wins.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Music: <span style="font-style: italic;">You're Invited to the LDS Musicians Festival</span> by Julie Keyser</span><hr /><br />To all my Musically inclined Friends, family and associates,<br /><br />Your friends at LDSMusicians would like to invite you to attend the annual LDS Musicians Festival, sponsored in part by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">yourLDSNeighborhood</a>.<br /><br />I'm excited to let you know of a three day music festival coming up August 15-17 in Springville, Utah. I've been helping with the committee for the LDS Musicians festival over the last several months and we're so excited with the entire weekend's programs . . . and it's this next weekend.<br /><br />Friday night will be a youth dance for ages 18 with DJ Shawn Phillips of FM 100.7 and a fashion show put on by Modest by Design as well as live entertainment. -- <a href="http://yourmusicnotes.blogspot.com/2008/08/youre-invited-to-lds-musicians-festival.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: <span style="font-style: italic;">54 Hours and Counting</span> by Rebecca Talley</span><hr /><br />My son will be home from his mission in approximately 54 hours. Wahoo! I am so excited to see him. I’ve tried to not think about it too much so I wouldn’t get too distracted. I can’t believe his two years are up and he’ll soon be a return missionary.<br /><br />It seems as though it was only a moment ago the doctor first placed him in my arms. I remember looking into his eyes and imagining all sorts of things for him. His life was full of possibilities. One of the things I hoped for him was that he’d serve a mission.<br /><br />Throughout his childhood we talked about his mission. I tried to teach him the gospel through reading scriptures, saying prayers, attending church, and having Family Home Evenings about the gospel and more specifically about sharing the gospel. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/54-hours-and-counting.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooks & Crafts: <span style="font-style: italic;">First Day of School Photo Tips</span> by Kim Thompson</span><hr /> <div class="entry"> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4t3raMDKSq7122l2ehlgwZ2hNE3DB_RndN8w3AOtq8abUFaqMebRKUqwA7rWV7HSgSpEl-zF6-aWXX37_a_f9_s90z4cnle77aQQNgj9zvVebelIi2nr5TXUMk8gGtPqzu8X-tkenbko/s1600-h/51QY36JWW3L__SS400_.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233308103342891010" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 155px; height: 155px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4t3raMDKSq7122l2ehlgwZ2hNE3DB_RndN8w3AOtq8abUFaqMebRKUqwA7rWV7HSgSpEl-zF6-aWXX37_a_f9_s90z4cnle77aQQNgj9zvVebelIi2nr5TXUMk8gGtPqzu8X-tkenbko/s200/51QY36JWW3L__SS400_.jpg" border="0" /></a>I can hardly believe it's the last week before the kids go back to school. I'm always happy when they get out for the summer, but by this time of the year, I'm happy for them to return to school.<br /><br />Don't forget the fun photo opportunity that the first day back to school creates. I'm going to share some easy tips with you to make your photos the best they can be.</p><p>There's only one "first day of school" each year for every child, so taking a photo that accurately captures this historic event is important. For years to come, both parent and child will look back on that "first day of school photo" with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Without a doubt, parents will want to do a great job of recording this important event on film. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/08/first-day-of-school-photo-tips.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services:<span style="font-style: italic;"> My Favorite Service</span> by Liz Adair<hr /></span><br />My guest blogger today is my brother, Ron Shook. He teaches at Utah State University, and it was he who thought up this clever way of covering 'Service' for <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">yourLDSneighborhood</a>. Much as I would have liked to have written it, I let him do the honors.<br /><br />Dr. Ron Shook writes: Once in a while, everyone should read poetry that’s fun, that’s easy to read and understand, and that kind of rolls off the tongue as you say it (You really need to read poetry out loud). The “great” poetry of the world tends to be heavy, full of meaning that’s hard to extract, and often, depressing as all get out. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/08/yourldsneighborhood-service-my-favorite.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: <span style="font-style: italic;">Is a Silver Medal Really Something to Cry About?</span> by Rachelle Christensen</span></p><hr /><br />The Olympics are in full swing and I'm enjoying the chance to watch this lively competition!<br /><br />Swimming has been getting a ton of attention right now and boy, does the U.S. have some winners!<br /><br />I watched the women’s 4 X 100m freestyle relay swim the other night and it was fantastic. There were so many amazing athletes involved with this swim and they were fast and fabulous. What caught my attention was that the American women’s relay team were not favored to win this competition, but on the last leg the amazing 41 year old, Dara Torres swam like a shark and swam past many to grab the silver medal in this race. But instead of celebrating for winning silver in a race they weren’t expected to win, the women looked disappointed. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/is-silver-medal-really-something-to-cry.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.<br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-89399480098794492962008-08-12T06:00:00.001-06:002008-09-04T22:34:05.998-06:00On the Newsstands August 11, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: <span style="font-style: italic;">Art in Automation</span> by Gaynell Parker</span><hr /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Our world has become an amazing modernistic world of automation. Have you ever noticed how many things have become automated? I was amazed the other day when I was at McDonalds and watched as the girl at the window got drinks from a machine that automatically dropped the correct sized cup, filled it and put the lid on for her to hand out with an order -- blew my mind.<br /><br />I know that automation was began as a blessing to mankind, especially in factories -- but I think the most well known was when the car was invented with the Model T. Automation was what made it an affordable car. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/08/art-in-automation.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: <i>Brendan Fraser on Fire This Summer</i> by Candace E. Salima</span><hr /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ol-U0ibnVD4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ol-U0ibnVD4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Alvin and I went to see The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor today. Rick O'Connell, Brendan Fraser, just can't seem to leave Mummies alone, and it seems the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Rick and Evie's son, Alex, has uncovered the Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. I guess you can figure out where it went from there. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/08/review-brendan-fraser-on-fire-this.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: <i>Preparedness Principles by Barbara Salsbury</i> by Alison Palmer</span><hr /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36icmJ6At43WkL3GJH0ytalheTqLZ1PMfW5SIHnsiFbHC5fdvDfYI7_LWmassS9NtHxMzoUweOdBQHIDS72X7Kg74kHb25Ej98pV5x9b1hkBALFuADckvDfal7nBHdSp1VUcKOlGMuPo/s1600-h/Preparedness.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36icmJ6At43WkL3GJH0ytalheTqLZ1PMfW5SIHnsiFbHC5fdvDfYI7_LWmassS9NtHxMzoUweOdBQHIDS72X7Kg74kHb25Ej98pV5x9b1hkBALFuADckvDfal7nBHdSp1VUcKOlGMuPo/s320/Preparedness.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242383961689444354" border="0" /></a>I just cleaned off several books from my reference shelf and replaced them with Preparedness Principles by Barbara Salsbury. I found that Preparedness Principles covers a lot of the same material I’d gone to other books for, but in a more concise manner. Barbara Salsbury has a no nonsense way of saying, “Here’s what you need to know and here’s what you need to do” for a variety of difficult situations we may be faced with. The fun part is, you get to use this reference for little things and big things, plus you don’t really mind picking it up for no good reason at all. It’s interesting bathroom material that makes you say, “huh, I never thought of that before” and happening to “think” about it might be more important than you ever “thought”.<br /><br />Preparedness Principles stresses assessing your own situation and preparing for those things you are most likely to face, but it also cautions not to feel you are immune to difficulties. Covered topics include food storage, disaster preparedness, financial security, basic survival principles as well as how to do all those everyday things we don’t think about until we can’t do them, like: washing your clothes and finding clean water or a bathroom when there isn’t one. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/08/preparedness-principles-by-barbara.html">Read More</a><br /><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: </span><i style="font-weight: bold;">It Broke Already?</i><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Nichole Giles</span><hr /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I’ve mentioned before that spending a few extra dollars makes a huge difference in the life of a piece of jewelry. Well, I admit, I’m guilty of buying the cheap stuff too. Mostly because I find something unique and can’t pass it up—especially if the price tag is unbelievably low. And usually, I take good enough care with my things that even the low-quality pieces last a while.<br /><br />Usually.<br /><br />A few blogs ago, I talked about watches. I can’t remember if I mentioned a watch I bought at the silver shop in Texas that has a band created out of thin strands of metal twisted into the shape of flowers. I loved it for several reasons, one being that I had recently bought a high quality necklace that matched it almost exactly. Except the watch was not real silver, and not nearly the quality of the necklace, which became apparent the day it fell apart on my wrist. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/08/it-broke-already.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: <i>Shepherd's Pie</i> by Candace E. Salima</span><hr /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsckO5btmF6bLzifFRTHpWxxJ-mq-BaSlpU9BCBUlEExFRLL34JiJlGQjelOV6weREn12wMtKCOsMWeYJ8FT_Cas1UGjIO3f7M7Q33lkBB1H-TAXEME1Y3BO0WBtwz5QDsMteOk4OfcK4/s1600-h/shepherdspie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsckO5btmF6bLzifFRTHpWxxJ-mq-BaSlpU9BCBUlEExFRLL34JiJlGQjelOV6weREn12wMtKCOsMWeYJ8FT_Cas1UGjIO3f7M7Q33lkBB1H-TAXEME1Y3BO0WBtwz5QDsMteOk4OfcK4/s400/shepherdspie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232346732546867490" border="0" /></a>A favorite in my household is my mother's <span style="font-style: italic;">Shepherd's Pie</span>. I've put my own twist on it, but it always gone within minutes of hitting the dinner table. So I got a little curious about where in the world Shepherd's pie, in its many variations, originated:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The English tradition of meat pies dates back to the Middle ages. Game pie, pot pie and mutton pie were popular and served in pastry "coffyns." These pies were cooked for hours in a slow oven, and topped with rich aspic jelly and other sweet spices. The eating of "hote [meat] pies" is mentioned in Piers Plowman, and English poem written in the 14th Century. (Cooking of the British Isles, Adrian Bailey, pages 156-7) The Elizabethans favored minced pies. "A typical Elizabethan recipe ran: Shred your meat (mutton or beef) and suet together fine. Season it with cloves, mace, pepper and some saffron, great raisins and prunes..." (Food and Drink in Britain: From the Stone Age to the 19th Century, C. Anne Wilson, page 273). About mince and mincemeat pies. </span>-- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/08/recipe-shepherds-pie.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: </span><i style="font-weight: bold;">Kids Can Cook, But Will They Want To?</i><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Keith Fisher</span><hr /><br />At two years old, my daughter seemed fascinated by the little gray rocks under the big black pots everyone made such a fuss about. With determination on her face she reached out to touch, but I stopped her. I gave her the standard warning. "It will burn you," I said.<br /><br />After a short time my little girl experienced a burn. I don’t remember how she learned, but she understood the word. She seemed to lose interest in those gray rocks.<br /><br />Then one day while cooking in five pots, I stepped away to get water from my garden hose. Sure enough, you guessed it, she reached under a pot and burned the tip of her finger. She knew would happen, but she just had to learn for herself. Some kids are like that. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/08/kids-can-cook-but-will-they-want-to.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">You'll Be As Happy As You're Willing To Make Others</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Muriel Sluyter</span><hr /><br />I know a man who has indulged in just about every self-destructive act he could think of. He used to be the most miserably unhappy man around. After many years of this dumb-headed lifestyle, he married a good, patient woman who had high standards and lived up to those standards.<br /><br />As a result of his marriage, he dramatically improved his behavior; unfortunately, though he was less unhappy, he still had a long way to go. After several years, she became pregnant, but he was still an unhappy man, as both a person and a husband. The baby was born, and the man seemed to improve a little more, but he still had a long upward climb, so far as his behavior was concerned. He seemed unable to escape his old friends and his and their old lifestyles, and he seemed, equally, unable to attain any significant degree of happiness. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/08/youll-be-as-happy-as-youre-willing-to.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: <i>Are you related to Mrs. M. Hubbard</i> by Barbara Salsbury</span><hr /><br />Do you remember, somewhere in the news recently, there was a rumor – excuse me- story of cupboard neglect, or actually animal neglect? What? It really was about your neighbor Ms. M. Hubbard and her dietary deficient dog? I bet it wasn’t the dog’s fault that he had to go hungry. Have you ever wondered why Ms. M. Hubbard had not taken advantage of the case lot sales on dog food? I’ve talked about the Hubbard family cupboard before. So today I start a campaign in order that history and this sad tale of cupboard neglect won’t repeat itself in your neighborhood.<br /><br />A rumor recently being discussed on a lot of blogs (or news) is that there are some of you reading who have to go to the store on the way home from “where ever” in order to be able to prepare dinner – at least four times a week. Of course, that’s just a rumor! -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/08/are-you-related-to-ms-m-hubbard.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: <i>Alliums: Garlic's Pretty Cousin</i> by Heather Justesen</span><hr /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> </h3> <div class="post-body entry-content"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHipsb8JmgenA6ckwMpvEZz4NPP3Ow90EIi-oIi1XsMv_CaNUycBiV5_xmGqmc2toZWrN_dnKmDIb6HlUxrzdVKhoWucdbiJSv_s7OQK_TC7hOYOj47DG7_FEzBMLpzRN8dscy8S9sbhk/s1600-h/drumstick.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHipsb8JmgenA6ckwMpvEZz4NPP3Ow90EIi-oIi1XsMv_CaNUycBiV5_xmGqmc2toZWrN_dnKmDIb6HlUxrzdVKhoWucdbiJSv_s7OQK_TC7hOYOj47DG7_FEzBMLpzRN8dscy8S9sbhk/s400/drumstick.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232252239009800498" border="0" /></a>Despite the fact that the heat is still running high in most areas, the time for ordering fall bulbs is approaching. I'm always on the lookout for new and different plants for my yard--something that will stand out. I was thrilled to see allium bulbs in the garden catalog last year, remembering these unusual plants.<br /><br />Allium belongs to the same family as garlic and onions, and has a slightly garlic-y smell to the plant. In fact, this spring I had forgotten that I had planted the bulbs and spent a few d<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnfGX4cOTvGJpNE-G9ICjM-XyFO05EgSy_wMd9e1d6DSz-NdjsfT1xTcTXarOFNjcwCaWkOMuXkwysYc2hhX9be2LV0u8BYlTN1UONhHeo1_cOp34x-R5pUGkVGu75ddiKCwzS50mQa5t/s1600-h/azure.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnfGX4cOTvGJpNE-G9ICjM-XyFO05EgSy_wMd9e1d6DSz-NdjsfT1xTcTXarOFNjcwCaWkOMuXkwysYc2hhX9be2LV0u8BYlTN1UONhHeo1_cOp34x-R5pUGkVGu75ddiKCwzS50mQa5t/s400/azure.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232252232291942402" border="0" /></a>ays trying to figure out how my chives had seeded themselves to far away from the mother plant before I realized what they were. Allium comes in different colors and shapes, generally in purple or pink colors though there are blue and even orange varieties. The ones I ordered were drumstick alliums (pictures above), which grow about three feet tall, and have a spherical purple flower about an inch and a half around. They go upward in size from there to the Gladiator which has four or five-inch flowers and grows up to five foot tall. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/08/alliums-garlics-pretty-cousin.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: <i>Endearing Young Charms</i> by C.L. Beck</span><hr /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> </h3> The remaining leaves on the trees rustled like dried bones in the wind and the clouds resembled fingers of doom. My husband, Russ, and I ignored the omen and drove to a neighboring town for breakfast. When we walked into the restaurant, we noticed very few patrons. Ahhh, another sign.<br /><br />We sat in a booth without removing our jackets. “It’s cold in here,” Russ said, blowing on his fingers to stave off frostbite.<br /><br />I wiggled in my seat. “It feels like I’m sitting on a snow bank in Alaska. In fact, my … um … sitter is so numb, I can’t feel it.” -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/08/endearing-young-charms-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: <i>Climb Every Mountain . . . Or Not</i> by Cheri Crane</span><hr /><br /><div class="post-body entry-content"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8I_HJocKLhFWdVjGnVSpereAQRD6aAj3rkxvq93bdCRMCKtyXITWa-zspHHobZwx0KEvA8QDE8wizG2E9nGP1WQ5nmRL8N_CLI6z_piW3cK9gk5laNEtCNvLBoaS_NbhUbzVR0vnOsg/s1600-h/100_8329.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8I_HJocKLhFWdVjGnVSpereAQRD6aAj3rkxvq93bdCRMCKtyXITWa-zspHHobZwx0KEvA8QDE8wizG2E9nGP1WQ5nmRL8N_CLI6z_piW3cK9gk5laNEtCNvLBoaS_NbhUbzVR0vnOsg/s320/100_8329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231460824205185618" align="left" border="0" /></a></div>So yesterday was the beginning of our annual stake girls' camp adventure. We've been planning for this event for quite some time. As the YW president of our ward, I've had my hands full getting the girls excited, and helping our two new camp directors prepare for this great event.<br /><br />We all met at the church house yesterday morning at 7:45 a.m. After loading 3 pickup trucks full of camp gear, and cars with 12 girls, we headed for the mountains.<br /><br />We arrived at Camp Ho-nok about 9:00 a.m. right on schedule. Then the true adventure began, the setting up of the tent(s) scenario. We only had to set up four---one for the priesthood leader, one for the camp directors, one for the food, and one for our girls. The tent we set up for our girls is a huge white canvas cabin tent. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/08/climb-every-mountain-or-not.html">Read More<br /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: <i>The Gift of the Holy Ghost</i> by Rebecca Talley</span><hr /><br />The last part of the 4th Article of Faith states our belief in the “laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”<br /><br />We believe that men who hold the restored priesthood of God can bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost to baptized members of the LDS Church. The gift of the Holy Ghost is different from the Holy Ghost as a personage of Spirit. The Holy Ghost himself is part of the Godhead and is a distinct personage, but many at the same time can feel his influence. It is similar to the sun. While the sun itself stays in the sky, people in California can feel sunshine at the same time as people in New York. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/gift-of-holy-ghost.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooks & Crafts: <span style="font-style: italic;">Color Outside the Lines</span> by Kim Thompson</span><hr /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX97mXaWogcgEICEyFJ16diKczY-xaFErVkGP3WC3zYFzktO8G1jtnv1BSuG4cInNWpdyUC59r9WcmclZtBc_vdnJvnZzhztkRXVjsFmBpKFc3vHLSQrywsEu5VEcXlhvk1gQ1KMqFSVA/s1600-h/2349495009_5e1c18075f_m.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232277422068206818" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 133px; height: 125px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX97mXaWogcgEICEyFJ16diKczY-xaFErVkGP3WC3zYFzktO8G1jtnv1BSuG4cInNWpdyUC59r9WcmclZtBc_vdnJvnZzhztkRXVjsFmBpKFc3vHLSQrywsEu5VEcXlhvk1gQ1KMqFSVA/s320/2349495009_5e1c18075f_m.jpg" border="0" /></a>The <a href="http://www.yourldsneighborhood.com/">neighborhood</a> has changed the block I blog on to Crafts and Scrapbooking. So, in addition to scrapbooking articles you may see some regular crafting ideas from me now and then as well. The topic today--Crayons.<br /><br /><div>Do you remember getting a new box of crayons each year as a child? This is one of my favorite back-to-school memories. I still love opening a new box of crayons and experiencing their rich colors, perfectly shaped tips, and waxy smell. They hold the promise of creative vistas to be explored. </div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Erasing the Carbon Footprint</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Liz Adair</span><hr /><br />Last time I blogged about the service offered to hobby farmers by local meatcutters who have mobile slaughter units that travel to the farms and convert the animal on the hoof to rump roasts and hamburger in the freezer.<br /><br />This is a boon to family economies in rural areas, but this service is offered only to non-commercial ventures. You cannot raise a herd of cattle and have the mobile slaughter unit come in and process meat that you hope to sell to a restaurant or grocery store, because meat sold to the public has to be processed in a facility that is inspected by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and USDA inspectors don’t travel with small mobile slaughter units. They didn't until now, that is. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/08/yourldsneighborhood-service-erasing.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Experience the Olympics</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Rachelle Christensen</span><hr /><h3 class="post-title"> </h3> <div class="post-body"> <p>The Summer Olympics are officially here! I am so excited to see the Opening Ceremony tonight on TV.<br /><br />I have always enjoyed watching the Olympics, but now that I have kids, I’m remembering some reasons why I enjoyed cheering on the athletes when I was a kid.<br /><br />You can make this a great experience for your kids too. For many of us, the Olympics may have been our first introduction to many different kinds of sports. Most kids know about basketball, soccer, and swimming—but what about relay races, high jumping, the pommel horse, the vault, rowing, archery, ….I think you get the point here. There are hundreds of different events during the Olympics. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/experience-olympics.html">Read More</a></p><p><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.<br /></p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-87589223122463965942008-08-08T06:00:00.002-06:002008-08-12T11:05:01.128-06:00On the Newsstands August 7, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: <span style="font-style: italic;">Count the Blessings</span> by Gaynell Parker</span><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Have you thought of what this earth would be like if Satan had won? He had promised that we'd never have pain, never be hurt and would all come back to Heavenly Father...<br /><br />In thinking about that today, (I had loads of time to think, I was working at the cannery, and you know it's not a real brain job...grin) I realized this is one of the reasons we have The Arts.<br /><br />The Plan of Happiness, is just that -- an eternal plan for our happiness.<br /><br />Just think if we didn't have the arts in our lives -- there would be no music, theater, no real color, no upliftment. (I'm not sure if that's a word...) The many gifts and talents we have been given as children of our Heavenly Father enrich our lives. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/08/count-blessings.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: <span style="font-style: italic;">Review of Mama Mia</span> by Candace E. Salima</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><center><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ViX1DQeeMpQ&color1=11645361&color2=13619151&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ViX1DQeeMpQ&color1=11645361&color2=13619151&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></center><br /><br />Last Saturday Alvin let me decide what movie would we would see for my birthday. I chose Mama Mia even though I'd already seen it. It is the true measure of the love my husband has for me that he didn't even groan, just bought the tickets and took me to see it again. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/07/review-of-mama-mia.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: <span style="font-style: italic;">Surprise Packages by Anderson Littke and Morris</span> by Alison Palmer</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvYSA0PWmAjAJtWQHYwK3VINonAh8EDawRQX2Ed5J05grnUN_SKSzupjdvNkFXeMbzSTkBRCiNLD05JF0MtGh4jW05yI2CddfO2_Ux82PR3C6UZvkInPqzkuJUhzIBLysdZsDGIkPNrY/s1600-h/Surprise.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvYSA0PWmAjAJtWQHYwK3VINonAh8EDawRQX2Ed5J05grnUN_SKSzupjdvNkFXeMbzSTkBRCiNLD05JF0MtGh4jW05yI2CddfO2_Ux82PR3C6UZvkInPqzkuJUhzIBLysdZsDGIkPNrY/s400/Surprise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233455481482538162" border="0" /></a>For those of you who have been anxiously waiting for the third and final installment of <a href="http://www.virtualsisters.net/">The Company of Good Women series</a>, it’s here!<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FCompany-Good-Women-vol-Surprise%2Fdp%2F1590389085%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1217813395%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3Esurprise%20packages%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">Surprise Packages</a> by <a href="http://www.crustyoldbroads.blogspot.com/">Nancy Anderson, Lael Littke, and Carroll Hofeling Morris</a> is now available and you won’t be disappointed. Surprise Packages is a little like going to a family reunion.<span style=""> </span>There are those few awkward moments at the beginning, where you’re trying to fit everybody’s names, faces and places together, but once you’ve figured it out the next hours fly by as your caught up in each other’s lives. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FCompany-Good-Women-vol-Surprise%2Fdp%2F1590389085%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1217813395%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3Esurprise%20packages%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">Surprise Packages</a> contains a few of those awkward moments in the first handful of pages as the authors tried to reacquaint you with the characters.<span style=""> </span>Every once in a while I’d stumble over a sentence or two that said something current about a character then followed it up with an, “Oh by the way, in case you forgot or didn’t know this is what has happened to them already and where they’re coming from” moment.<span style=""> </span>But once everybody is done saying, “Hi, remember me?” you’ll settle down for a long and rewarding talk with women who are just like the rest of us— struggling and learning their way through life in the best ways they know how. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/08/surprise-packages-by-anderson-littke.html">Read More</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: <span style="font-style: italic;">Dress to Make an Impression</span> by Nichole Giles</span></p><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEs_LzxXpMvW8E5p9ZZynOevC2l3N2geyymq37SiazeG3KjwR4jrYw9NPhuY6motl-Xlhyphenhyphenia52oZwGFa-mAgrcYjQCl0GFKconllqC85VPwZ_Et5srLWS6gpZj9sYhktpHYiArR0jCWk/s1600-h/makeupmirror.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEs_LzxXpMvW8E5p9ZZynOevC2l3N2geyymq37SiazeG3KjwR4jrYw9NPhuY6motl-Xlhyphenhyphenia52oZwGFa-mAgrcYjQCl0GFKconllqC85VPwZ_Et5srLWS6gpZj9sYhktpHYiArR0jCWk/s400/makeupmirror.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233456237202865698" border="0" /></a>Though I’ve been writing mainly about jewelry for the last few months, I was delighted when the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.yourldsneighborhood.com">Your LDS Neighborhood </a>higher powers informed me that my scope has been extended to clothing and accessories as well. Yahoo!<br /><br />This week I’ve given a lot of thought to what a person (mostly me) should wear in certain situations. It’s one thing, for instance, to wake up in the morning and throw on our favorite jeans, T-shirt, and flip-flops before going to the grocery store.<br /><br />Heavens, I’ve even been known to take my daughters to early morning soccer practice in my flannel pajamas. (Since I’m confessing, I’ll admit to taking them to school that way as well—but usually I have no intention of getting out of the car!) -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/08/dress-to-make-impression.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: <span style="font-style: italic;">Recipe: White Country Bread</span> by Candace E. Salima</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdqsHsxWus-c97s49_4qjcxMgyb0CmTZbTLUv0g4jJYFNmAMdmsrXSOGt065kY3qGrlE9P_P7swmIf3Khy9gbsAqwmcAc3kTmz1RTUIABy1Y50ffu6Laaa5xYu-wWeIFlt-WySwCmmJE/s1600-h/bread.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdqsHsxWus-c97s49_4qjcxMgyb0CmTZbTLUv0g4jJYFNmAMdmsrXSOGt065kY3qGrlE9P_P7swmIf3Khy9gbsAqwmcAc3kTmz1RTUIABy1Y50ffu6Laaa5xYu-wWeIFlt-WySwCmmJE/s400/bread.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233456705815963682" border="0" /></a>Last week I gave you the recipe for my mother's amazing chili beans. I kid you not, I have many memories of sitting around the dinner table digging into Mom's chili, laughing, talking, just catching up with everyone's activities during the day. That's what the dinner table was for us, the place where we got together and bonded as a family.<br /><br />So here's the incredible bread recipe that goes with <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2007/11/recipe-mama-mickis-chili.html">Mama Micki's chili</a>. You can cook it as a loaf, or break it up into balls of dough, flatten them out and fry them in hot oil for, what we called, flapjacks. They make great scooping implements. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/08/recipe-country-white-bread.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: <span style="font-style: italic;">Fire and Ice</span> by Keith Fisher</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;" class="post-title entry-title"> </h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="post-body entry-content"> <p> </p> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230792929339740818" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWwx4DfD28X1JDDLCfPwtE0xyKPRT8UD6kL1_S9ZUFYnZPSY7CW0wJ2kstAHw2UOD-4rOT0mKZFmpr1OrkaNgRMAom1hyzE31MQgod_eVBEJU9yHACDRwTtj15LVlRw0hQoxV7MNXcis/s200/wizardofzwitchmelt7.jpg" border="0" />It’s been so hot lately around my house I’m beginning to identify with the <em>Wicked Witch of the West</em>. “I’m melting—melting, what a world, what a world.” If you’re like me, the heat puts a damper on outdoor cookout plans. I remember a cook off when it was so hot we almost didn’t need charcoal. The heat from the coals raised the already high temperature into triple digits.<br /><br />What if I told you about a cold treat you can make in a Dutch oven? Would you consider staying outdoors? We often associate cooking in Dutch ovens with heat from square charcoal briquettes. Have you ever considered cooking with square ice cubes? What’s that you ask? No, I’m not crazy, in fact I’m going to tell you it’s best to use an aluminum Dutch oven, although, cast iron will work too. The reason for aluminum is simple. Since the material heats up quickly it also cools quickly with no adverse affects. You must be careful with cast iron because it doesn’t react well to quick temperature changes. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/08/fire-and-ice.html">Read More</a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: <span style="font-style: italic;">In Olden Days</span> by Muriel Sluyter</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In olden days, a respected man was loved by his friends and feared by his enemies. If he were insufficiently love or feared, he was less than he should be. He had failed in his quest to become a truly honorable man. Modern people are much inclined to take issue with the fear inspired by a man of honor in ancient days, but we must remember that the code required it.<br /><br />An analysis of this code will bring us to an understanding that if a man were feared by his enemies, those enemies had good reason for their fear. It proved that he had the power to destroy, and power was the bottom line. A man of power was great; a man who lacked power was less than the dust of the earth. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/08/in-olden-days.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: <span style="font-style: italic;">One or Two Preparedness Questions & Answers</span> by Barbara Salsbury</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Sometimes when we are wrapped up in our little corner of the world and have questions about our preparedness program, we might think we are the only one with questions. Or we might think that what we have to ask is dumb (printed in a whisper). So to put your mind at ease and to catch up on mail (method to my madness) I thought I would answer one or two questions in the blog, then everybody could benefit. (At least that is what I hope.) And just as an after thought, I would like to receive your questions. And if I might say so, I would suggest that in this wide, wide bunch of blog readers you are not the only one wondering the same thing. Ask away.<br /><br />S.T. of Orem, UT asks: <span style="font-style: italic;">How do I make food storage foods palatable when the family is used to sugary, instant foods?</span> -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/08/one-or-two-preparedness-questions-and.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlet/Gardening & Landscaping: <span style="font-style: italic;">Nicotiana, Adding Sweetness to Your Garden</span> by Heather Justesen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTn7Z8T6m2eMMvFac3vWj-wR_fuxqQdTqFpjeoBjadXuyHzLqdjxqfalWooJQ0MWy8ATTfl_HRrlinu0XjEgyWeuqckoMsianyTcWkty6D-2tIJ0UxE7ElrmKWyqwwBqOPgtaw9YM8LAfS/s1600-h/nicotiana+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTn7Z8T6m2eMMvFac3vWj-wR_fuxqQdTqFpjeoBjadXuyHzLqdjxqfalWooJQ0MWy8ATTfl_HRrlinu0XjEgyWeuqckoMsianyTcWkty6D-2tIJ0UxE7ElrmKWyqwwBqOPgtaw9YM8LAfS/s400/nicotiana+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230702085843115042" border="0" /></a>I'm always curious and interested in different plants to add to my yard. I love the old standbys--my gladiolas are blooming beautifully right now--but I'm all about adding interest--and if the price is right, so much the better.<br /><br />Last winter when we had first moved into this house and I was planning out my landscaping, I managed to get in on a few seed swaps and picked up a host of unusual seeds I had never heard of. One of my new favorites includes Nicotiana—also known as Flowering Tobacco.<br /><br />Flowering Tobacco comes in whites, yellows, pinks and reds and grows to three or four feet tall. Depending on when you get the seeds in the ground, it starts blooming mid summer and keeps up a steady show until frost. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/08/nicotiana-adding-sweetness-to-your.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: <span style="font-style: italic;">Milk of Amnesia</span> by C.L. Beck</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br />Like many of you, I’ve had a few medical procedures done. You might wonder why someone who wouldn’t normally tell her best friend that she even has a hangnail would tell the entire LDS community about her surgeries. I think that must be one of the side effects of inhibition-erasing drugs being injected into your veins. Doctors say the medication in the I.V. is to relax you, but we all know the truth. They don’t call it the “milk of amnesia” for nothing. You can bet no one is going to wear the hospital gown with the natural air conditioning in the back unless there’s a way to keep you from remembering that you paraded around and mooned everyone.<br /><br />There’s no doubt in my mind why the doctor requests that you bring someone with you to the hospital, either. It’s not to drive you home. It’s so there’s a witness who can tell you the crazy things you did that you don’t remember. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/08/milk-of-amnesia-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: <span style="font-style: italic;">A Fairly Good Time</span> by Cheri Crane</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I love this time of year. We're beginning to see the fruits of our labor in the garden patch and my flowers are finally all in bloom. Girls' camp will soon be behind me.(We leave tomorrow for that adventure.)The huckleberries are almost ripe and ready for picking. And next week is the traditional county fair!<br /><br />I love this tradition, a delightful aspect of our rural culture. I love wandering through the buildings full of produce and seeing all of the 4-H projects. I like observing the animals in the barns and patting a furry nose here and there. My favorite thing to look at would be the artwork and photography exhibits. Sometimes I even enter a photo or two of my own. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/08/fairly-good-time.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: <span style="font-style: italic;">Baptism, a Fundamental Principle</span> by Rebecca Talley</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />A fundamental gospel ordinance is baptism. We believe that those who perform the baptism must have the authority to do so. Many people, when investigating the church, say they have already been baptized and don’t need another baptism. We believe that in order for a baptism to be recognized by God, it must be done under his direction using the priesthood.<br /><br />In the LDS Church we do not practice infant baptism. Children are baptized when they are eight years old because that’s when they are accountable to the Lord for their actions. (Doctrine and Covenants 68:27).<br /><br />We believe in baptism by immersion as demonstrated by the Savior himself when he was baptized by John the Baptist. Baptism by immersion is symbolic. It is as if laying down your old life into the grave, and then coming up into a new life, a new birth. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/baptism-fundamental-ordinance.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking & Crafts: <span style="font-style: italic;">Tag Time</span> by Kim Thompson</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHWfcPJIY5AYxX-MpFlWedoqGCkYBPbY9M_XZY8ecFcO3O2wCV76YAeYPFP72WqRsim-1E2svC5KIoRdyMMPyrvA3PkEuCbKJHfDUWSPFx6ul0LK-gEoCw6M3uYqVyxhTgnBO5wJybtY/s1600-h/tag_card_small.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230745072610052850" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHWfcPJIY5AYxX-MpFlWedoqGCkYBPbY9M_XZY8ecFcO3O2wCV76YAeYPFP72WqRsim-1E2svC5KIoRdyMMPyrvA3PkEuCbKJHfDUWSPFx6ul0LK-gEoCw6M3uYqVyxhTgnBO5wJybtY/s200/tag_card_small.jpg" border="0" /></a> Recently, decorative tags have been one of the most popular new trends in the scrapbooking and stamping industry. There are lots of fun techniques for decorating these accents and countless ways to use them.<br /></p>Tags are easy and fun to decorate and a great way to use all of those left over scraps. Tags add dimension to scrapbook pages and make your scrapbook unique. They can be used for titles, journaling, color accents, and more. You can write a fun poem, joke, or event information on them.<br />The design, color and content of your tag is as varied as your personality or creativity. Tags can be big or small, square, angled or custom cut. They can be white, generic shopping bag brown, or colored. Tags don't even need to be restricted to paper products. Some of the most interesting tags I've seen were made out of wood, fabric, plastic, tinfoil--pretty much anything you can imagine. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/08/tag-time.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Service: <span style="font-style: italic;">A Service for Gentleman Farmers</span> by Liz Adair</span><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><br />Ideas for what to blog about on my Service Blog come to me in odd ways. This one came as I was on Francis Road, a winding county road that cuts through farmland and is the back way from Mount Vernon, where I work, to Sedro Woolley, where I live. I got behind a mobile slaughter unit and thought, aha! I have intimate knowledge of what a service that is.<br /><br />At the beginning of my Mother Earth Decade, from about 1974 to 1984, I was determined that, when we got our farm, we would do everything ourselves, including slaughtering and butchering of animals we raised. I had read lots of books and, to practice, we bought half a pork and prepared to cut it up ourselves. It had been scalded and scraped, so the skin was still on it, and as we laid it out on the kitchen table, it was all there: half a snout, half a face, one ear, one eye, two legs (one front, one rear), half a body, and half a tail. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/08/ideas-for-what-to-blog-about-on-my.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: <span style="font-style: italic;">Let the Games Begin</span> by Steve Christensen</span><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><br />The 2008 Summer Olympics are finally here. The opening ceremony will start on Friday evening of 8/8/08. The excitement is starting to mount for the athletes, the countries, and the many fans throughout the world. I thought it would be interesting to review the history of the Olympics and talk about when and how it all began and how the Olympics got to be what they are today.<br /><br />According to the online reference Wikipedia.org: "The very first Olympics were in Olympia, Greece from 776 BC to AD 393. Interest in reviving the Olympic Games proper was first shown by the Greek poet and newspaper editor Panagiotis Soutsos in his poem "Dialogue of the Dead" in 1833. Evangelos Zappas sponsored the first modern international Olympic Games in 1859. He paid for the refurbishment of the Panathinaiko Stadium for Games held there in 1870 and 1875. -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/08/let-games-begin.html">Read More </a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.yourldsneighborhood.com/JumpPage.aspx?id=97"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwDfh9R9lwwMe9PqgtMX_TfiQoabmn_FSI7nl9nMGl2mXMbjxQ8vYrV_H5JJzNoieyrbkggA1Zn60-qE-DXLeh3-AFRfH5kTuhaW2O7-WyI27_882SudR1b8l61goJhOreWRZZesWlhQ/s400/468x60_EFYConcert.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233678174313644210" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-30763749738887498532008-08-05T06:00:00.008-06:002008-08-06T21:17:35.988-06:00On the Newsstands August 4, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: "I Write, Therefore I Paint" by Gaynell Parker</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrITrWc0L0X4zKXIg2Yx8t_S73Fsmo95pSWlb2AEtD41T1zFa02dlfnn2ky1NwloC_OJsPgEcy7_XLJp8toEw8B3e7uzxaJYm9cJCbAvN2EOtI91e1gkP76hKvIzytabbKP7GKH9kZdY/s1600-h/journal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrITrWc0L0X4zKXIg2Yx8t_S73Fsmo95pSWlb2AEtD41T1zFa02dlfnn2ky1NwloC_OJsPgEcy7_XLJp8toEw8B3e7uzxaJYm9cJCbAvN2EOtI91e1gkP76hKvIzytabbKP7GKH9kZdY/s400/journal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230755651652706754" border="0" /></a>That may sound a little confusing -- and I'm not above causing confusion if it gets you to think about my subject. But I realized something last night when I was up at 1 in the morning writing a letter to my son.<br /><br />Letter writing is becoming a lost art.<br /><br />How many people write letters on an average day? Not many. Now it's mainly email and texting. While some would argue that this in itself is still letter writing, per se, I have to say it is not. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-write-therefore-i-paint.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: "True Stories II" by Linda Scanlan</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">In a world of uncertainty we need to be able to see clearly what we are fighting for and against. We need to know that there are still real heroes for us to believe in. After September 11th, terrorism lives as a constant threat now in the American heart. Two movies, based on American Heroes are my pick for this weeks true stories.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">"World Trade Center" is an epic movie about two Port Authority policemen who were trapped in the rubble of the Twin Towers when they fell and their families. America watched in stunned silence as CNN replayed the events of September 11th, 2001 over and over again. I was in a rehab facility after surviving a head on collision three hours away from my family, as I watched the news that morning. Fear gripped my heart as I wondered where the next target would be. My complete inability to care and protect my family was the core of my fear. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/magical-movie-moments-true-stories-ii.html">Read More</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Room for Two by Abel Keogh" by Alison Palmer</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp4PHU_8pXFutD40nFoKAIZPa4VNOZUGQ8w9ezdep9lH3oNHaF3_9vRr5Dfgk0SuuymiB-5K579zd9vGYb7Ctu2edI4cBKvevyaSzcj6Swtka7SITV-JvKibfn7Nn9OcrwUBehqH_E2g/s1600-h/room_two_250.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 119px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp4PHU_8pXFutD40nFoKAIZPa4VNOZUGQ8w9ezdep9lH3oNHaF3_9vRr5Dfgk0SuuymiB-5K579zd9vGYb7Ctu2edI4cBKvevyaSzcj6Swtka7SITV-JvKibfn7Nn9OcrwUBehqH_E2g/s400/room_two_250.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230767274504415986" border="0" /></a>I have to be honest with you.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRoom-Two-Abel-Keogh%2Fdp%2F1599550628%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1215433449%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3ERoom%20for%20Two%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">Room for Two</a> is a book I was almost unable to review.<span style=""> </span>It’s not that the writing was bad, or that the storyline stunk; no, <span style="font-style: italic;">Room for Two</span> is very well written and the story is exceptionally compelling.<span style=""> </span>It is definitely one that needs to be shared.<span style=""> </span>But, this true story can also be very emotionally taxing.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.abelkeogh.com/">Abel Keogh</a> makes no apologies (nor should he have to) for very vividly and very accurately describing the events surrounding his wife’s death by her own hand. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">I knew exactly what this book was about before I agreed to review it during <a href="http://www.abelkeogh.com/blog/">Abel’s virtual book tour</a>.<span style=""> </span>I knew it would be hard, but I also knew that many, many people needed to read it.<span style=""> </span>I thought that I would be able to handle it.<span style=""> </span>I almost could not. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/07/room-for-two-by-abel-keogh.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothes & More: "Peridot: The Birthstone of Nature" by Nichole Giles</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In keeping with <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com">Rachelle Christensen’s</a> excellent idea, I figure it’s about time I write about Peridot, the August birthstone. I have to say, all the research I’ve been doing into jewelry, the history behind it, and the sources of stones and metals is so fascinating for me. I wouldn’t have thought writing about it could make me love these things more, but…well, I just can’t help it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DNj9zDno-XTyKCoYO63uvyHRSqJtJR_w42iR1Ds7Quq03U-BKq3XKCEZb2ElKmvOn3hqzakr5Ozq_jFh1XNKxxh6kte8HuGz0SoX5KpienWWJbbC4oL08_dytlVnEpa_USoF30hMw_XQ/s1600-h/1912P.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229677852582492146" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DNj9zDno-XTyKCoYO63uvyHRSqJtJR_w42iR1Ds7Quq03U-BKq3XKCEZb2ElKmvOn3hqzakr5Ozq_jFh1XNKxxh6kte8HuGz0SoX5KpienWWJbbC4oL08_dytlVnEpa_USoF30hMw_XQ/s400/1912P.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Peridot is formed in and around the Earth’s mantle, and is created from a mineral called Olivine, as a result of volcanic activity. When Hawaiian natives first discovered Peridot crystals in the black sands of the islands, they assumed the beautiful yellow-green stones were tears shed by Pele, the volcano goddess. With it’s earthy color, and the origins of it’s creation, it’s no wonder August’s birthstone has been used as a means to connect with nature. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/08/peridot-birthstone-of-nature.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food:Health: "Hair, Skin & Nails, Part 1" by Candace E. Salima</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />So you want to have hair like a movie star? Skin, smooth and silky, reminiscent of the first flush of youth or maybe you crave those long beautiful fingernails that seem to adorn the hands of every successful woman. Okay, let’s face facts. Movie star hair is only that on the screen. Even the movie stars go for a ponytail more often than not and call it good. Eyes can be enhanced with makeup. And we all know we suffer the tortures of the damned in nail salons attaining those perfect nails. But all this is merely glossing over a core problem we in this nation face. Poor health.<br /><br />Your hair, skin and nails are the body’s barometer for your health. Any physician worth his or her salt can instantly tell the overall health of a patient with one look. The specifics take a little longer. But if you’re low in iron, specific B vitamins as well as about every other vitamin in the lot, if you’re on a lot of medications or fighting illness, stress, exhaustion . . . hey, let’s face it . . . if you’re breathing, you’re screaming along the highway of life looking for the nearest exit. This all shows in your hair, skin and nails. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/08/heath-hair-skin-nails-part-1.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: "The Summer Kitchen" by Keith Fisher</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMQrJzFsR2aTPYZzXtZKG5DQU3VgKK4su4VwoC2Ef1O3wGp-HZrScUc0m9zL-yPr4717LJIdfvEzR8Y2HknyZHD5V9p3spMU02VHyOB-0pziXDNmM4k8nQ3WUx4cXwoFHgrIH5keDe3k/s1600-h/1176838564Outdoor%20kitchen%20Lembo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229675728521322898" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMQrJzFsR2aTPYZzXtZKG5DQU3VgKK4su4VwoC2Ef1O3wGp-HZrScUc0m9zL-yPr4717LJIdfvEzR8Y2HknyZHD5V9p3spMU02VHyOB-0pziXDNmM4k8nQ3WUx4cXwoFHgrIH5keDe3k/s320/1176838564Outdoor%2520kitchen%2520Lembo.jpg" border="0" /></a>In the nineteenth century, when all cooking was done in a fireplace or on a cast iron stove, many houses were equipped with what was called a summer kitchen. Simply put, it was a place to cook away from the main parts of the house.<br /><br />During the winter, the family gathered near the kitchen fire for heat and socialization. During the summer that same heat was to be avoided. Hence the need for a cooking place apart from where the family lived.<br /><br />In our day we have air conditioning, kitchen ranges, and microwaves that cool down almost immediately after being turned off. We use the space in our yard, for storage of our toys and tools. The need of a summer kitchen has passed, or has it? -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/08/summer-kitchen.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "How Heavy is too Heavy?" by Muriel Sluyter</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Some people harbor, within themselves, a crippling sadness, because they are convinced that their mother or father did not love them. They may be correct, at least to some extent. There are many degrees of love, and the love of parent for child should to be of the highest caliber; sometimes it isn't. Some have even known, or at least thought, that their parent loved a sibling more than they.<br /><br />These are realities, unpleasant, but, nonetheless, realities. Let us assume that you suffer from the conviction, or worse, the knowledge that you were loved less than you should have been. It accomplishes little to hide from it, so if it's real, let's face it and accept it for what it is, a reality. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-heavy-is-too-heavy.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: "When it's Hot! It's Hot!" by Barbara Salsbury</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />When it’s hot, it’s HOT. Without power it can be beyond miserable!<br /><br />Okay, so what does being hot have to do with preparedness? Nothing if you live north of Alaska. But just in case there are a few problems accompanying the “hot,” let’s talk for a minute or two.<br /><br />Heat can be as dangerous as cold when it comes to extremes. If you have an infant, someone who is confined to bed or a wheel chair or someone who is elderly and not able to get around or care for themselves, extreme heat can be deadly. Or if you are like me and become dysfunctional and wilt when it gets above 75°, heat can be a problem!<br /><br />Heat stroke and heat exhaustion can turn an uncomfortable situation into a disaster. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/08/when-its-hot-its-hot.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: "Basil Takes Sting Away" by Heather Justesen</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlHy2qpjflyvbjtcfMGsL-bJxsFTtAUaOEYRb_A3cNcSf8C2XGLuyZnQZua_moV3_Z25o2Q8jAJWIKVMcbuj7JdO9JV2fg-x6jqxNRZ6xezTRBdqCgX-wrwBDTrxIoxKzNzsv5JtH9mQ/s1600-h/basil10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlHy2qpjflyvbjtcfMGsL-bJxsFTtAUaOEYRb_A3cNcSf8C2XGLuyZnQZua_moV3_Z25o2Q8jAJWIKVMcbuj7JdO9JV2fg-x6jqxNRZ6xezTRBdqCgX-wrwBDTrxIoxKzNzsv5JtH9mQ/s400/basil10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230769943219395058" border="0" /></a>Basil is one of my favorite herbs of all time. Have you ever been to a really good Italian restaurant where they use fresh basil? Magnifico! If you want the name of a fabulous Italian restaurant in <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Utah</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">County</st1:placetype></st1:place>, ask away. Anyway, because of my love affair with basil, I had to buy some for my herb garden. There are tons of varieties with leaves in different colors—including purple.<o:p> </o:p> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Basil adopts other exotic flavors such as lemon, lime and cinnamon. Some varieties are large leaved, while others have very tiny leaves, some are great for vinaigrettes and others are better for gourmet pizzas. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">Basil loves full sun, and some varieties are commonly used in landscaping for their compact shapes, or low-growing habits. This versatile plant can be found all over the world from Europe, to the Middle East, from South American to <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> The leaves and flowers can both be used in cooking, and it can be dried as well for winter use—just add one third as much of dried if the recipe calls for fresh. It is commonly used in pasta, tomato-based dishes, beans, and peppers, and the fresh leaves can be used on green salads or steeped for a refreshing tea. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/07/basil-takes-sting-away.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Definitely NOT the Colonel's Chicken" by C.L. Beck</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Lately I’ve related two anecdotes from my exceptionally brilliant career as a chicken farmer. If you missed out and would like to read them, you'll find them at <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/not-colonels-chicken-by-cindy-beck.html"><em>Not the Colonel's Chicken</em> </a>and <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/not-colonels-chicken-part-ii-by-cindy.html"><em>Not the Colonel's Chicken, Part II</em></a>.<br /><br />It was during that hen-filled stint that some bright person gave the suggestion we should also raise pigs. The idea was so enticing that I talked my husband, Russ, into trying it.<br /><br /><br /><center>**********</center>“What shall we call them?” I asked, watching our new little pigs in their pen.<br /><br />Russ grinned mischievously. “How about naming them Pork-Chop, Ham-Hock, and Bacon?” -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/definitely-not-colonels-chicken-by.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Music: "Sam Payne: Father to Son" by Julie Keyser</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRghbB5GYVFwhqPoPGf5boB8eocQdkW-l3vKpc2sICy8XFCLH2Moe1yXHe4emDbkSOpQvABFACmCWCeCdfZXS1kzwsC2c_ugQkHEVduVOuwMdoJgJImDZW3jh7rkBaZdiF23ZBQQ-mIuC/s1600-h/hugesplashsmileycropped.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 122px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRghbB5GYVFwhqPoPGf5boB8eocQdkW-l3vKpc2sICy8XFCLH2Moe1yXHe4emDbkSOpQvABFACmCWCeCdfZXS1kzwsC2c_ugQkHEVduVOuwMdoJgJImDZW3jh7rkBaZdiF23ZBQQ-mIuC/s400/hugesplashsmileycropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229920802072931074" border="0" /></a>The 1970’s was probably the best all around era for the singer/songwriter and out of that came some amazing greats. Like Don McLean , Jim Croche, David Gates of Bread, Carly Simon , and the list just goes on and on. The gift each of these amazing artists shared was not just their voices, but their lyrical artistry, some of the best the 20th Century produced.<br /><br />Out of this same era of music sprang another great, but lesser known singer/songwriter named Marvin Payne and from him was born, what I truly believe to be, the greatest poetic lyricist of the 21st century thus far…<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.sampayne.com">Sam Payne</a>! -- <a href="http://yourmusicnotes.blogspot.com/2008/08/sam-payne-father-to-son.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "San Diego was Stupendous!" by Cheri Crane</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_Yig123Up__h5sBDQKkhyphenhyphenk2-badFOfYJ-xdguUetQExQ2CiD2hoOSOflhmNXno_kfWy7LmQcV7AhnyjrMFZRz4xPCjS6YXcQSDBsrSBvom9l8dgpAxpr8U7wESX96-BT2L8KJS1nzNU/s1600-h/Seaworld2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_Yig123Up__h5sBDQKkhyphenhyphenk2-badFOfYJ-xdguUetQExQ2CiD2hoOSOflhmNXno_kfWy7LmQcV7AhnyjrMFZRz4xPCjS6YXcQSDBsrSBvom9l8dgpAxpr8U7wESX96-BT2L8KJS1nzNU/s400/Seaworld2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230771591719846386" border="0" /></a>A few years ago, we had a chance to travel to San Diego, California. That trip is still a family favorite---even if I suffered a bit of a glitch just before we left. Since that's an interesting story in and of itself, I thought I would share it with you today. =)<br /><br />We had been planning this trip for several weeks. Our sons were thrilled with the idea of exploring Sea World. As was mentioned in a previous blog, I love the ocean and I was excited to see it for what would be the second time in my life. We also thought since we were that close, it would be great to see Tijuana, Mexico, which is just across the border from San Diego.<br /><br />As we continued to make plans, we decided to invite my mother. She had never seen the ocean and she had always wanted to fly, so we made additional plans to include her in this adventure. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/08/san-diego-was-stupendous.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: "Repentance" by Rebecca Talley</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The second principle of the gospel, according to the 4th Article of Faith, is repentance.<br /><br />Why is repentance so important?<br /><br />We all make mistakes and commit sins. If we do not repent of these, we will not be able to return to live with our Heavenly Father because no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God. We must all repent, each and every day. Spencer W. Kimball said, “There is never a day in any man’s life when repentance is not essential to his well-being and eternal progress.”<br /><br />We may think that unless we commit a serious sin, we do not need repentance. Not true. Most of us will never murder someone, rob a bank, or perjure ourselves in court. Yet, as President Kimball said, we all need to repent. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/08/repentance.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking & Crafts: "Handwriting Hints" by Kim Thompson</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdRNakRY8fXLq6TtImmpXGv6GdbY1qSkvRU9xWJi6bEeYKxwPpiI8XQK_-0y1jK0Oz0aOFetOWkSQ4ePq1SXuyKVSr-B8YLxvb85KSPoUS4nHwWAmQJHqNEtdsRwNzOWTIv3AjGHaUlM/s1600-h/wht_rembr_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229302399174926930" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 234px; height: 222px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdRNakRY8fXLq6TtImmpXGv6GdbY1qSkvRU9xWJi6bEeYKxwPpiI8XQK_-0y1jK0Oz0aOFetOWkSQ4ePq1SXuyKVSr-B8YLxvb85KSPoUS4nHwWAmQJHqNEtdsRwNzOWTIv3AjGHaUlM/s320/wht_rembr_1.jpg" border="0" height="222" width="259" /></a>I've mentioned including your own handwriting on your scrapbook pages in a couple of recent blogs, so I thought I'd discuss it in more detail.<br /><br />Scrapbooking has definitely joined the digital age. You can complete an entire page on the computer. Even those people who don't scrap digitally yet, often use the computer to create page titles and journaling blocks for their layouts. Handwriting on a page may not look as neat as a computer font, but it is more personal and meaningful to your family.<br /><br />Why do we hesitate to use our own handwriting in our albums? I think there are a few reasons. First of all, lots of us just plain old don't like our handwriting. We might think that it's too messy to be read by others. But stop and think for a moment of a handwritten birthday card you've received, or grandma's recipes, scribbled in her own handwriting. These items leave a legacy for those you love. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/07/handwriting-hints.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "StoryCorps Service to America" by Liz Adair</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Today I thought I'd blog about the Service that StoryCorps is doing to capture the oral histories of everyday Americans and preserve them for posterity.<br /><br />I’ve been listening to StoryCorps stories since they began broadcasting in 2003, not because I was a StoryCorps junkie, but because it was on the particular station I was listening to on the way to work.<br /><br />However, I am a family history nut. (I even have two blogs dedicated family history--one for family and one for a wider audience.) That’s why StoryCorps moves me every time I hear the weekly segment on NPR. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/08/yourldsneighborhood-service-storycorps.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: " A Good Movie" by Rachelle Christensen</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Yep, it’s still summer and this 100 degree heat makes the air conditioned darkness of a movie theater very inviting.<br /><br />My husband and I enjoy going to movies for a little date night once in a while. Of course, these days you have to be choos-y but I still think there are some great films available. Lots of us love going to the movies for the cool temperature of the theater and of course, the treats.<br /><br />I enjoy being treated to the hot, buttery heart-attack popcorn you can only get in movie theaters and my husband loves frozen Junior Mints. It’s not really a movie experience without the treats, right? -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/08/good-movie.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-70588349623686708072008-08-01T06:00:00.001-06:002008-08-02T10:01:25.862-06:00On the Newsstands August 1, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: "Code is Beautiful" by Gaynell Parker</span><hr /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I think not.<br /><br />My hubby has been studying computer stuff regarding HTML and XML. I thought he was learning Greek... I took a website design class when I was working in Salt Lake, and it was fascinating, but still not very clear. I got how to use the software, but wasn't entirely sure what to do with it.<br /><br />Now I've been trying to update my blog, I like a fresh face once in a while. Especially since I started a new one relating to food -- I wanted a template that pictured food. All I could find was pizza and chocolate. Now, while I like pizza -- if that template had been around 5 years ago I would have been thrilled -- and love chocolate in moderation (can you tell I'm not young anymore?), I didn't like the look of either of them. I also wanted to get a different look for this blog, thinking it was time for something less "in your face"...grin. That hasn't been working either. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/07/code-is-beautiful.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: "True Stories" by Linda Scanlan</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Watching a movie based on a true account gives the viewer a sense of wonder. Maybe things aren't as bad as the viewer thought. Maybe, just maybe, the viewers dreams can come true also. Life can turn around and give them a second chance.<br /><br />Will Smith stars in "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N6U0E2?tag=thebookfilmst-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B000N6U0E2&adid=1R15EPG3RR90NDWSBEEZ&">The Pursuit of Happyness</a>". After his girlfriend leaves him to raise their son (Will's own son Jaden Smith), Chris Gardner must find a way to successfully succeed. Chris happens across a man who is driving a nice car and asks what his profession is. The man replies "A stockbroker". -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/magical-movie-moments-true-stories.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "The Journey by J. Adams" by Alison Palmer</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTOorc9ThEpXsu-9mil7URUIIG_GBb4vQeZQHzwuSpgyG3PGLuaAyGagtxPYlRvY46eOA5HfM6JTDmEj-zEGL0K4ijuHlJ9JLjKlExwC5dKmP51CUl412juR1AZnwoQ1Acl2eE5fU3G0/s1600-h/theJourney.bridge.poster.small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 111px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTOorc9ThEpXsu-9mil7URUIIG_GBb4vQeZQHzwuSpgyG3PGLuaAyGagtxPYlRvY46eOA5HfM6JTDmEj-zEGL0K4ijuHlJ9JLjKlExwC5dKmP51CUl412juR1AZnwoQ1Acl2eE5fU3G0/s400/theJourney.bridge.poster.small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229943918611971202" border="0" /></a>Wow. That is the only word I can use to describe my initial impression of J. Adams' (Jewel Adams) latest title <a href="http://www.jadamsnovels.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Journey</span></a>. Never before have I read a more beautiful and poetic description of something so, well, disturbing.<br /><br />I had just a few moments to read before boarding an airplane. I quickly glanced at the prologue, noting that is was a short two pages: just right for sneaking in before having to begin the rush and bustle of reality once more. That's when I noted the words on the page and my jaw drop in amazement. I could tell I was in for an exciting journey of my own. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/07/journey-by-j-adams_28.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing & More: "Family Heirlooms" by Nichole Giles</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The other night—while flipping through TV channels at 2:00 am—I happened to catch a few minutes of the “Antiques Road Show.” I stopped on the segment because as I flipped through, they showed a picture of this enormous antique ring and I wanted to know how old it was and if it was a real diamond. My first thought was, “Whoa, that’s the biggest diamond I’ve ever seen outside a jewelry store window.”<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227915016578838130" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SnvmQEkFo5UnjNoMDmQr9Lc_nG_cNNTPW86-bsr_tZToIqfxXcKemQkulM3LCOO_OflX7Vt30QneYCuFPSP9A5XBgWSojXIBN20ansmTIv0p1vmOOCrHAmpVLKVQst_9_E32i9pZNcmg/s400/diamond_cullinan_kohinoor_sancy.jpg" border="0" /><br />Actually, that’s not true. I’ve seen them on the fingers of the rich and famous via TV and gossip magazines, but this one belonged to a lady who’d inherited it from her grandmother, who’d also inherited it from her grandmother, and it was gorgeous. It had a large, clear center stone, surrounded by smaller round stones, all of which were set in silver. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/07/family-heirlooms.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: "Recipe: Mama Micki's Chili" by Candace E. Salima</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76dwgFCwI4I1ZasRJPRed-IhkENtOmMzk28hRP3WC31R1W3wntUN6TR1T51mNdigxJmuodfdQ4VC7AIxvNzoadNtjDZfvBP3R2W-OZbb_k38ll8ostppxl4__flxkMxDqm-l1gN8MeBo/s1600-h/rec_quickchili.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 321px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76dwgFCwI4I1ZasRJPRed-IhkENtOmMzk28hRP3WC31R1W3wntUN6TR1T51mNdigxJmuodfdQ4VC7AIxvNzoadNtjDZfvBP3R2W-OZbb_k38ll8ostppxl4__flxkMxDqm-l1gN8MeBo/s400/rec_quickchili.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229946149721735378" border="0" /></a>One of my favorite dinners when I was little was <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/">Mom's</a> homemade chili beans and flapjacks (or frybread as others like to call it.)<br /><br />I swear, the very best way to eat this chili is up in the mountains, a cool fall evening and the scent of pine trees in the air.<br /><br />This is the most delicious chili in the world. I kid you not!<br /><br />So if you live in the city, get a pine scented candle, mix up some killer chili beans and treat your family to a little bit of my childhood memories.<br /><br />Each of my mother's children has taken this recipe and carried the tradition onward, as my mother did with the recipe from her mother.<br /><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mama Micki's Chili</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Soak 4½ pounds of Pinto Beans in water, overnight.<br /><br />Rinse beans and fill pan with water again.<br /><br />Put in on the stove on low to medium and let it cook until beans are tender. (This will take two or three hours, depending.) Once the beans are tender, add ingredients and seasonings as follows: -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2007/11/recipe-mama-mickis-chili.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: "A Contradiction" by Keith Fisher</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQciZhmgigKBDtqhWMw96QYm-JKqLv1h7ZGlZS0agV0RbP56KGToFC_kWLgT0CT-c4Im0RyCfjoyPny_gntxOmMq2oI4UbuNIOBfc3oa6U18gMI2KnXESCExmoje8ZWd7A1Y_8L12CCPw/s1600-h/keith.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQciZhmgigKBDtqhWMw96QYm-JKqLv1h7ZGlZS0agV0RbP56KGToFC_kWLgT0CT-c4Im0RyCfjoyPny_gntxOmMq2oI4UbuNIOBfc3oa6U18gMI2KnXESCExmoje8ZWd7A1Y_8L12CCPw/s400/keith.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229947269647364146" border="0" /></a>Have you ever seen someone turn down good food because they were afraid to eat it? Their fears are grounded in the belief that anything that tastes good must be bad for their figure. In their minds Dutch oven cooking has a bad rap.<br /><br />In the early nineteen nineties I fell in line with the low-fat, no sugar, no salt craze. It felt good to eat healthy food, but it didn’t do me any good unless I followed a stringent course of exercise—something to get my pulse up.<br /><br />It worked. The pounds dropped off, and I was able to buy clothes off the rack at Walmart for the first time in my life. Then I injured my shoulder and found I couldn’t use my bicycle. It hurt to use my stationary bike as well. Rather than resort to walking, I got lazy. Soon my eating habits returned to what they were before the program, and I started to gain weight. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/07/contradiction.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "Depraved or Deprived?" by Muriel Sluyter</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Do humans become deprived because they are depraved, or do they succumb to depravity because they are deprived? This dichotomy has plagued mankind for thousands of years! This is no philosophical argument posed for the entertainment of debating teams. It is, rather, the basis for the opposing philosophies of the two primary political parties of this nation.<br /><br />The one party, convinced that poverty is the basis for depravity, gears up to provide housing, food stamps, medical care and most other human needs in an attempt to stop crime, illegitimacy, drug use, alcoholism and every other form of depravity. It is unfortunate that, in the attempt to deal with social problems in this manner, the individual is absolved of all responsibility for his or her actions, and society and the predominant culture are instead declared to be the cause of all anti-social behavior. Many a court case is being won on that premise alone. Common sense and experience argue that the outcome of such thinking can be predicted with pinpoint accuracy. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/07/depraved-or-deprived.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: "Summer Checklist" by Barbara Salsbury</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Here we go again. Barbara is about to burst another bubble. I don’t know how to break this gently for you, but summer is NOT just for fun and games, or vacations, or full of lazy-hazy days. Sorry.<br /><br />Summer is a time for:<br />Homework<br />Putting Security in a Box<br />Getting Ready for the Rainy Day<br />Being Brainwashed by Barbara.<br /><br />OK, I’ll give you part of summer. The other part of summer needs a Summer Checklist. Now is the time to start developing the “Squirrel Syndrome.” Now is the time to prepare for cold, winter, storms, miserable cold wet rain, and different kinds of storms. (You choose.) Knowing that winter and all of the above are coming, now is the time to put the verb “prepare” into high gear. I’m not the rocket scientist telling you the theory is that preparation usually happens prior to the event! I’m sure it is now more than a theory. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/07/summer-checklist.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: "Brightening Things Up for Less" by Heather Justesen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Summer heat has been pounding down on us for months now and the school season is drawing near. Garden centers are starting to feel the heat as well. As the summer hurries by, most places that sell plants have begun slashing prices.<br /><br />Now is the time to pick up a few begonias to brighten a spot in your kitchen, or an additional rose bush to fill that hole in the yard. Every year I have some annuals that fail to thrive, though they may be inches away from another plant that just won't stop. The deals are growing daily, but there are a few things to watch out for while shopping for a great price. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/07/brightening-things-up-for-less.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Not the Colonel's Chicken, Part II" by C.L. Beck</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Not long ago, I related an anecdote from my exceptionally short career as a chicken farmer. If you missed it, visit "Not the Colonel's Chicken" in the archives for this site.<br /><br />For those who’ve already read it, you’ll remember I had the brilliant idea to feed our flock of chickens left-over, cooked oatmeal. Waste not; want not—that’s my motto. The hens pecked at the glop, which collected into sticky wads that enlarged as the birds tried to clean their beaks in the dirt. From that experience, I learned poultry have the IQ of a grasshopper—which coincidentally, is how the next event occurred. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/not-colonels-chicken-part-ii-by-cindy.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "The Tradition of Girls Camp or Why the YW Leaders Turn Gray" by Cheri Crane</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZI9hIA2ylB2RoM-RUl4AoQAyjajLnAp4NtoGpYVoVQixi0SP8yQoBZTtD7TaOazfs34Fs6sbp5pUckMnSkhTkn1pZrZc6geS7weLw1tprEpzxFOP2dlaE_5jiHpVNI66tZpHCqMA79sM/s1600-h/girls'camp1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZI9hIA2ylB2RoM-RUl4AoQAyjajLnAp4NtoGpYVoVQixi0SP8yQoBZTtD7TaOazfs34Fs6sbp5pUckMnSkhTkn1pZrZc6geS7weLw1tprEpzxFOP2dlaE_5jiHpVNI66tZpHCqMA79sM/s400/girls'camp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229949120210117010" border="0" /></a>Ah, the bliss of girls' camp. I suppose I'm pondering this subject because next week our ward will be participating in the annual stake girls' camp adventure. I've lost count of how many years I've attended girls' camp. It began when I was the ripe age of 12. I was a naive Beehive who sponged for things like the ever popular snipe hunt. I won't reveal how long I sat under a tree waiting for the infamous snipes to make an appearance that night, but long enough to gain an appreciation for this fine endeavor.<br /><br />Girls' camp was a magical time. Leaders let their hair down---literally. Some of them looked quite interesting by the time camp was over. Actually we all did. It was part of the fun. Along the way, we girls learned the importance of tying knots, not getting lost during hikes, cooking over a fire, how to live without makeup or curling irons, and how to light a fire without matches. Always there were fun crafts, hilarious skits, and spiritual boosts like testimony meetings around a campfire. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/07/tradition-of-girls-camp-or-why-yw.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" by Rebecca Talley</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The 4th Article of Faith states, “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”<br /><br />The most basic, fundamental belief we have is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is what motivates us to do what we do. Faith is what changes us and transforms us.<br /><br />When I was a young girl, I did not have religion in my life, Yet, I had this simple faith that God was real and he heard my prayers. After my mother died, I used to plead in my prayers that my grandparents would live for a long time so I wouldn’t be left again. Both of my grandparents lived to their mid-late eighties and died long after I was married with my own family. I remember just feeling that if I prayed about something Heavenly Father would hear me. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/07/faith-in-lord-jesus-christ.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking & Crafts: "Album Size Type" by Kim Thompson</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Scrapbooking albums come in all shapes and sizes. There is no one specific album size that is "best" to use, but here are some tips on the various sizes and types available:<br /><br />Paper is readily available in the 12x12 size. It's a good size to fit pictures and other memorabilia on the pages without too much crowding. You can also buy ready-to-make pages kits in the 12x12 size.<br /><br />If you want a smaller size book, there are many available such as 8x8 and 6x6 albums. These sizes are great for children to start with because the pages are small and easy to fill. The 8 1/2 x 11 size is becoming almost obsolete. The industry is steering away from it and going to the square sizes instead. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/07/album-size-type.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "My Most Successful Service Project" by Liz Adair</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br />I read in the newspaper this morning about a scout who, for his Eagle Project, did some maintenance and restoration work at a little-used cemetery out in the county where the hamlet it used to serve has disappeared. Reading the article, I was reminded of the most successful youth service project of my tenure as YW President.<br /><br />During that tenure, while presiding over several monumental failures, I discovered that a successful youth service project needs three key elements addressed:<br /><br />1. Every youth needs a clear assignment<br />2. Every youth needs the tool that will make him effective in that assignment.<br />3. Every youth needs a supervisor who can guide, cheerlead, and, if necessary, give additional tasks to keep youth meaningfully occupied. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/07/yourldsneighborhood-service-my-most.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "2008 Summer Olympics" by Steve Christensen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The World Summer Olympics will be starting on August 8th this year which is next week. I can’t believe another 4 years have gone by. As you grow older the years start to really go by quickly. When the next Summer Olympics take place, it will be 2012. I will be approaching the “hill” as I will be turning 38 years old. All of my kids will be in grade school, and hopefully our country has pulled itself out of the economic “rut” we are currently in.<br />Anyway, back to the Olympics…<br /><br />This year’s Olympics will be in Beijing, China. It should be a great event to watch. I have always enjoyed watching the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics. It signifies the opening of 16 days of the world’s top athletes competing to gain the title of the best in the world at that particular sport. It is fun to watch the athletes from the United States and other countries walk into the stadium of the opening ceremonies and see the excitement on their faces. -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/07/2008-summer-olympics.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood</a>.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-87399875432466930382008-07-29T06:00:00.008-06:002008-07-29T06:00:00.693-06:00On the Newsstands July 28, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment: "Sometimes My Visions Gets Distorted" by Gaynell Parker</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><hr /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oM1_XL_Qrl2j_16Ux1p6j3T7UBJQH5t0yz4WEN2WIUsT98Lw3b8V2e9kAp1p7rg-7i_6NG3SumYn_tMembR0XgMq4Ftncm0mp1ngebWQr4XBNKnnJg6fydaKbfOEzHUSFip1PZ02oWo/s1600-h/blueflowers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 98px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oM1_XL_Qrl2j_16Ux1p6j3T7UBJQH5t0yz4WEN2WIUsT98Lw3b8V2e9kAp1p7rg-7i_6NG3SumYn_tMembR0XgMq4Ftncm0mp1ngebWQr4XBNKnnJg6fydaKbfOEzHUSFip1PZ02oWo/s400/blueflowers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227098273442432898" border="0" /></a>I feel sometimes when I try to paint something that it's like that old commercial; Is it real or is it Memorex? What I see is so real, but what comes out of the ol' pencil or paint brush doesn't necessarily look the same. Things get distorted somehow between the eye and the fingers -- somewhere in the brain.<br /><br />One of my favorite things to paint is flowers. A couple of years ago, we were fortunate to take an Alaskan cruise with my in-laws. It was amazing! I had no idea that Alaska was so green, or that it had so many flowers. I decided at that point I was going to take pictures of every flower I could, perhaps I'd paint them and create a book of flowers and I tried to take pictures of the names (if they had them) as well – but then I realized that's not the way I paint.<br /><br />The flowers up at the top were the ones I painted the year after we came back and submitted to the State Fair. This is how it turned out:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: "Wicker Man" by Linda Scanlan<hr /></span><br />The original "Wicker Man" was written and produced in England and is considered "The most original and haunting British horror movie EVER. Fascinating, chilling, and utterly unique." (17 August 2003 Author: Infofreak from Perth, Australia)<br /><br />First released in the US in 1975, it starred Edward Woodward, best known as the voice of the Sultan in the Disney Movie "Aladdin" and (for us older folks) for his role in "The Equalizer".<br /><br />"While recovering from a tragic accident on the road, the patrolman Edward Malus receives a letter from his former fiancée Willow, who left him years ago without any explanation, telling that her daughter Rowan is missing. Edward travels to the private island of Summerisle, where Willow lives in an odd community that plant fruits, and she reveals that Rowan is actually their daughter. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/magical-movie-moments-wicker-man.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Food Me Twice by Stephanie Black" by Alison Palmer<hr /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CFgZHFhKWKJGtNn2-s0jfj3VsLhWxpu_Sc7TX_MpO0nAZPyrAEj5ak_xp3TScEwNUHqt7mcxUBZBZnN5THmRpj_eBn8jbJ8nZGHoc-OulcDjrg2pkjcdxUOYXXD2ISy-29dk72KaRPU/s1600-h/foolmetwice.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 121px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CFgZHFhKWKJGtNn2-s0jfj3VsLhWxpu_Sc7TX_MpO0nAZPyrAEj5ak_xp3TScEwNUHqt7mcxUBZBZnN5THmRpj_eBn8jbJ8nZGHoc-OulcDjrg2pkjcdxUOYXXD2ISy-29dk72KaRPU/s400/foolmetwice.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226941860349121170" border="0" /></a>When I read <a href="http://www.stephanieblack.net/">Stephanie Black</a>’s first novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Foffer-listing%2F1591567009%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1216971576%26sr%3D1-1%26condition%3Dall&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3EThe%20Believer%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">The Believer</a>, I really didn't want to like it.<span style=""> </span>Really.<span style=""> </span>But it didn’t work.<span style=""> </span>Instead of not liking it, I ended up loving it.<span style=""> </span>I found myself placing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Foffer-listing%2F1591567009%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1216971576%26sr%3D1-1%26condition%3Dall&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3EThe%20Believer%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">The Believer</a> among my favorites after reading it in a day and a half.<span style=""> </span>So when <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FFool-Me-Twice-Stephanice-Black%2Fdp%2FB0018E5994%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1215020747%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3EFool%20Me%20Twice%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">Fool Me Twice</a> came out I was thrilled, plus I absolutely love that cover, don’t you?<span style=""> </span>I grabbed it up as soon as I could and read it with delicious anticipation of a great story told by a great author.<span style=""> </span>That's exactly what I got. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FFool-Me-Twice-Stephanice-Black%2Fdp%2FB0018E5994%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1215020747%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3EFool%20Me%20Twice%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">Fool Me Twice</a> by <a href="http://www.stephanieblack.net/">Stephanie Black</a> represents some of the genres I'm most excited to see expanding in LDS literature.<span style=""> </span>Suspense, thrillers, and mystery just add a fun element to the ways you can throw an LDS character into a whole world full of trouble.<span style=""> </span>That trouble is what makes them real to us.<span style=""> </span>Go figure, we like to know other people are having a hard time getting through life, too.<span style=""> </span>If it’s done right (as Stephanie shows us) the characters don’t come across as perfect and you don’t feel like the gospel is being shoved down your throat. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/07/fool-me-twice-by-stephanie-black.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothes & More/Jewelry: "Which Watch" by Nichole Giles</span><br /><hr /><br />I have a thing for watches. Though watches often fall into the not-really-jewelry category of people’s minds, ask yourself this: When was the last time I noticed someone’s watch because it was unique or stylish?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCyyN1-9_wV3eaATxUv1N93goU7uWWMCyD3pm7K9NeEJp5WYsnQ-2BBruTjRMAZQymoJeo0jUuWywDJ5fIDtnLfEl8QGXNH1XZTrpH9tUlO_Is7DgJ2helqpe3_v4QV04kAsON2wxBv96/s1600-h/P1030104.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227073978606699010" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCyyN1-9_wV3eaATxUv1N93goU7uWWMCyD3pm7K9NeEJp5WYsnQ-2BBruTjRMAZQymoJeo0jUuWywDJ5fIDtnLfEl8QGXNH1XZTrpH9tUlO_Is7DgJ2helqpe3_v4QV04kAsON2wxBv96/s200/P1030104.JPG" border="0" /></a>For me, the answer is all the time. I notice things that stand out, that are dainty or unique, or bold and bulky. Anything with color or unusual lines or an abundance of sparkles. And consequently, I have a collection of watches.<br /><br />It all started with imitation turquoise embedded in fake silver.<br /><br />About the time when I was rediscovering my love for jewelry, I happened upon a gem. A watch made from silver circles embedded with imitation colored stones that were supposed to look like turquoise. A circular watch face sat between four of these circles, which would be worn around a woman’s wrist and clasped like a bracelet. It was loose on me, but I loved it so much I bought it anyway, for the bargain price of $20. I hadn’t worn a watch in years. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/07/which-watch.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Health Tip, Cinnamon</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Candace E. Salima <hr /></span><br />When my father died, I was privileged to be there. And over the course of the following weeks I stayed with my mother, helping her through that exceedingly difficult time. During that time, I did a lot of sorting for my mom and stumbled across this incredible information about the healing power of cinnamon.<br /><br />According to <a href="http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html">HealthDiaries.com</a>:<br /><ul><li>Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.<br /></li><li>Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes.<br /></li><li>In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections.</li><li>In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.</li><li>It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.</li></ul>-- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2007/09/health-tip-cinnamon.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: "High Praise" by Keith Fisher</span><br /><hr /><p> I once heard someone say, “there are three times in your life when someone says good things about you. When you go on a mission, when you return from your mission and when you die.” I want to tell you about another one. </p><p>We often get asked to cook for one group or another, but as you might imagine, we have to pick and choose. Usually we get reimbursed for the food, but for the most part, we serve our fellowman. </p><p> As you can guess, some people take advantage of us. I remember a Demo we were asked to do for <em>Utah State</em> at <em>Jordanelle Reservoir</em>. We were promised food and gas reimbursement. We submitted the receipts, then re-submitted, never heard back, and gave everyone in the campground a free meal and leftovers. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/07/high-praise.html">Read More</a><br /></p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Seasons of Life</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Muriel Sluyter <hr /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A trip down memory lane took me back to a time when my mother lived with us. I wrote this article when the importance of having a father or husband in the home was really spotlighted in our own home:</span><br /><br />Greetings, Gentle Reader,<br /><br />My mother, at 91 years young, is now residing with us, and what an education we are getting! I am learning many things, but one especially has caught my attention: Women and children think very differently from men. More to the point, women and children need that differing viewpoint to balance their world.<br /><br />Now, I know this is not an earthshaking discovery, but in today’s world, it is most reassuring and, yes, refreshing. How did I arrive at this conclusion? It was this way: As I knelt to replenish the wood in the fireplace, with my back to the door, I heard my husband coming into the front porch. To my utter surprise, the words, "The man of the house is home. All is well.", came into my mind. In astonishment I asked myself, "Where did that come from?" As I pondered this amazing experience, I realized that I was verbalizing an eternal truth, not just where I was concerned, but for every member of the family. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/07/seasons-of-life.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: "When it's hot!" by Barbara Saslbury</span><br /><hr /><br />When it’s hot, it’s HOT. Without power it can be beyond miserable!<br /><br />Okay, so what does being hot have to do with preparedness? Nothing if you live north of Alaska. But just in case there are a few problems accompanying the “hot,” let’s talk for a minute or two.<br /><br />Heat can be as dangerous as cold when it comes to extremes. If you have an infant, someone who is confined to bed or a wheel chair or someone who is elderly and not able to get around or care for themselves, extreme heat can be deadly. Or if you are like me and become dysfunctional and wilt when it gets above 75°, heat can be a problem!<br /><br />Heat stroke and heat exhaustion can turn an uncomfortable situation into a disaster. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/07/when-its-hot.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: "Farmers Market, Keeping it Fresh" by Heather Justesen</span><br /><hr /><br />It’s that time of year again, the heat has been sizzling most of the northern hemisphere for a good long time, and farmer’s markets are springing up all over. This summertime event happens in cities across the country, as well as many other areas around the world. You don’t have to own thousands of acres to have a booth—just something you have more of than you can use.<br /><br />A couple of years ago I attended one in Spanish Fork where I bought peaches, pears and grapes. I’ve seen strawberries, tomatoes, and various other veggies at this open-air market. It can be a great way to cash in on some of your extra crops and the sign-up fees are often very affordable.<br /><br />Even if you have nothing to sell, a local farmer’s market can have lots of benefits: -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/07/farmers-markets-keeping-it-fresh.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Book Review/Interview with Shirley Bahlmann" by C.L. Beck <hr /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0D-6IRy5VB80KT7F2P5EGqXuX9xg26y1AU-BNHicP7uY9zs-J3Rp2kkyRb-DrcVrNuONflrIfXXYGvzR1mlINBdloKZAFPowx5jZXQpZgqXtG2ptJy1uNzoEMZMbE9A0yn0sSora4ak/s1600-h/THE_PIONEERS_A_COURSE_IN_MIRACLES.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 115px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0D-6IRy5VB80KT7F2P5EGqXuX9xg26y1AU-BNHicP7uY9zs-J3Rp2kkyRb-DrcVrNuONflrIfXXYGvzR1mlINBdloKZAFPowx5jZXQpZgqXtG2ptJy1uNzoEMZMbE9A0yn0sSora4ak/s400/THE_PIONEERS_A_COURSE_IN_MIRACLES.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226943991924298338" border="0" /></a>All right, I heard those groans. You were looking for a little humor and when you read this is a book review and an author interview, you considered clicking elsewhere.<br /><br />Just wait. Take your finger off that mouse and give this a chance. Shirley Bahlmann is a bubbly, vivacious, LDS author and you'll find an interview with her below the book review.<br /><br />Talk about a sense of humor ... as Shirley tells her writing class, "I've always got a party going on in my head!" And she ain't just a kidding! -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/book-reviewinterview-with-author.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Loved New Orleans" by Cheri Crane</span><hr /><br />I've heard New Orleans called a few other names through the years: The Big Easy; The Crescent City; Hurricane Katrina's Hangout; etc. I never really possessed a burning desire to travel there. In fact, to be honest, after what I saw Hurricane Katrina do to New Orleans via televised news clips, I wondered why anyone would ever want to live in this location. Then behold, as my youngest son is fond of saying, I had a chance to find out for myself, and I fell in love with New Orleans. It just goes to show that what my mother said years ago is true: "Never judge a book by its cover."<br /><br />My husband embarked on a business trip to New Orleans in October of 2006. He was going to be gone for about 2 weeks to help with a special project for his company, and he asked me to tag along with him. I was delighted. I love to travel and this would an area I had never seen in person. I was a bit uneasy about seeing the Big Easy, fearful of crime statistics and such, but I was excited at the same time. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/07/loved-new-orleans.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: "Three Degrees of Glory" by Rebecca Talley</span><br /><hr /><br />As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (3rd Article of Faith).<br /><br />When the Savior was crucified, he made it possible for all of us to be resurrected. He gave his life freely and as such all those who have ever lived on the earth will be resurrected, just as he was. As everyone will die, so will everyone be raised from the dead, reunited with their physical tabernacles, and become immortal. This is a free gift to all. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/07/three-degrees-of-glory.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "Vintage Scrapbooking" by Kim Thompson <hr /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AnjlxFyF10SODEQrImN-LmnNrK0W8KQK-O2g3vqyXMreAhbwn38UsBCGQyIk_vLYhyLkD47eCfUpewLAbE86g3eLhf2SqvoWPnC7Hc5I1OfRR-p4ZbF_Ek-95KAPT2k1ltG63ICHRQA/s1600-h/13vintage1_resize.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 121px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AnjlxFyF10SODEQrImN-LmnNrK0W8KQK-O2g3vqyXMreAhbwn38UsBCGQyIk_vLYhyLkD47eCfUpewLAbE86g3eLhf2SqvoWPnC7Hc5I1OfRR-p4ZbF_Ek-95KAPT2k1ltG63ICHRQA/s400/13vintage1_resize.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226942540958741074" border="0" /></a>With all of the 24th of July celebrations going on this week, it's caused me to reflect on my own pioneer ancestry. This naturally leads me to think about how I can capture that history to share it with my children.<br /><br />Vintage scrapbooking is one of my favorite things to do. There are lots of vintage scrapbooking products available in the market which make it easy to add a unique vintage look to your layouts.<br /><br />So what does 'vintage' mean, anyway? In the scrapbooking world, vintage refers to a specific artistic style. There are three main elements which will help you create a vintage look: -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/07/vintage-scrapbooking.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Serving the Autistic Community" by Liz Adair</span><br /><hr /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDs3LsuY7f2vFt-iiFqzZ7XitmR7icB2AMCiB0Ve73Sr_z_QwBAift36-W4V4xIiF8Rhfl_6dPbNOO03iTskxoSacS_2DI0TKBGcPHA_719KqbKSIP3Yv5ogKvbj6kQ3lyHEt09DuLbkE/s1600-h/autism.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDs3LsuY7f2vFt-iiFqzZ7XitmR7icB2AMCiB0Ve73Sr_z_QwBAift36-W4V4xIiF8Rhfl_6dPbNOO03iTskxoSacS_2DI0TKBGcPHA_719KqbKSIP3Yv5ogKvbj6kQ3lyHEt09DuLbkE/s400/autism.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227079159141550834" border="0" /></a>This photo came from the web site of the Daily Sparks Tribune.<br /><br />Yesterday, I got an email from my son with a link to the Daily Sparks Tribune. When I shared it with my writer’s group, one of the ladies said that my son had done a service for all the people who deal daily with Autism. I had been wondering what to write about in today’s service blog, and bingo, there it was.<br /><br />This is what happened: Mike Savage, a radio personality, dubbed a ‘shock jock’ by the local newspaper, in a piece he was doing about autism, apparently said that doctors were overdiagnosing autism and that it was becoming a ‘racket’. According to the Daily Sparks Tribune, “In his broadcast, Savage called autistic children “brats” and that the condition is the “illness du jour.” He said autism is the result of bad parenting.” Click here to read the whole article. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/07/yourldsneighborhood-service-serivng.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "It's Time for S'mores" by Rachelle Christensen</span><br /><hr /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have always enjoyed going camping. Of course, now that I’m older I realize that it does take a bit of effort to get everything packed up to make the camping experience just right. I appreciate my parents for taking four of us hoodlums camping in a little pickup camper. I’m sure they were probably exhausted afterwards but we sure had fun.<br /><br />Camping back then was slightly different than today. The biggest difference is that I don’t think my family ever reserved a spot anywhere—we just drove around the mountains until my dad found “the place” to camp. Most areas in the national forests have specific camping areas now and you can’t just pull off the side of the road somewhere. But that’s okay, I’m one of those that likes to know where I’m going, so I’m fine with change. Even though we have to pay for most campgrounds now, camping is still an inexpensive and yet priceless family sport. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/07/its-time-for-smores.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy.<br /><br /><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-75821406081972921782008-07-25T06:00:00.002-06:002008-07-25T06:00:03.160-06:00On the Newsstands July 24, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Art: "A Day of Triumph and Beauty" by Gaynell Parker</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />This is the time of year that we get to remember some of the past that was more than just the beginning of Life for this valley. It was the start of the Desert blooming as a rose. I realize that some of that quote was for the middle east, but I think a great deal of it was for Utah.<br /><br />Back in 1847, when the pioneers first entered the valley it was nothing like what we see now. There were some trees, mainly around what steams and rivers existed, but most of it was arid land. A desert.<br /><br />Only the industry and work of those early saints turned this valley into what it is now -- a glorious area to see. One that I wouldn't trade for anywhere else. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/07/day-of-triumph-and-beauty.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arts & Entertainment/Movies: "A Review of </span><i style="font-weight: bold;">Journey to the Center of the Earth</i><span style="font-weight: bold;">" by Candace E. Salima</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The Jules Verne classic, Journey to the Center of the Earth, has been made into a movie more than once. But Walden Media's recent rendition of the same is my absolute favorite. Brenden Fraser is one of my favorite actors, and Walden Media is one of my favorite production companies, so I was willing to take a chance and go see this their version of Journey to the Center of the Earth.<br /></div><br /><center><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6xtff1ROz10&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6xtff1ROz10&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></center><br />-- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/07/review-of-journey-to-center-of-earth.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "</span><i style="font-weight: bold;">Season of Sacrifice</i><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by Tristi Pinkston" by Alison Palmer</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0dbZngc1zCBVZBoiJ5Zf3B5-G7GlTnHKPlv9x5CGo6F80Itkq84_OgX3cKZRjcf_bryQIbH0n9eLtEAMi1GCTMEsqrsMARhPtlL6I8KOxDw8iTk4ajqV7XvBTKtAWJ5U7jo-MJMEs9Q/s1600-h/SOS+-+front%5B1%5D.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0dbZngc1zCBVZBoiJ5Zf3B5-G7GlTnHKPlv9x5CGo6F80Itkq84_OgX3cKZRjcf_bryQIbH0n9eLtEAMi1GCTMEsqrsMARhPtlL6I8KOxDw8iTk4ajqV7XvBTKtAWJ5U7jo-MJMEs9Q/s320/SOS+-+front%5B1%5D.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225705358817457154" border="0" /></a>In honor of Pioneer Day, I bring you a book review on a story about… pioneers!<br /><br />When I first picked up <a href="http://www.tristipinkston.com/books.htm">Season of Sacrifice</a> by <a href="http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com/">Tristi Pinkston</a>, I have to admit feeling a little intimidated by it.<span style=""> </span>It’s a thick book (320+ pages), and the cast of characters looked longer than the cast of a Shakespeare play. But, I’m happy to share that each character was introduced on its own timetable and not all at once. I didn’t have a bit of trouble keeping them straight as I became involved in the story, and I did become involved enough to forget how long the book was.<br /><br />My friend <a href="http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com/">Tristi</a> has felt a passion for this story for many years and I’m proud of her for seeing it through to completion. It’s definitely a star in her crown. <a href="http://www.tristipinkston.com/books.htm">Season of Sacrifice</a> tells the story of her great-great-<br />grandparents and their part in settling Utah, particularly the famous “Hole in the Rock” (which I’m now dying to see, by the way). -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/07/season-of-sacrifice-by-tristi-pinkston.html">Read More</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothes & More/Jewelry: "Artistic Possibilities" by Nichole Giles</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I think I mentioned before that the modern jewelry movement started around the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLApcnOcs2tE5n_XUKO-FUY8o7fpYTC6cs3temwvBNyma5pcSzVZvQVXkwOb06ZZNViVZZGbzO-qMpzKoygmVqwyq_KJxjVEt_einvMoeoXEUsNZ_dO8dA03WXkFAKhHocUFmMdSmFhx3/s1600-h/498px-Jewellery_fameo_pendant.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225562396604728194" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLApcnOcs2tE5n_XUKO-FUY8o7fpYTC6cs3temwvBNyma5pcSzVZvQVXkwOb06ZZNViVZZGbzO-qMpzKoygmVqwyq_KJxjVEt_einvMoeoXEUsNZ_dO8dA03WXkFAKhHocUFmMdSmFhx3/s200/498px-Jewellery_fameo_pendant.jpg" border="0" /></a>end of World War II, with artists like Georg Jensen, Pablo Picasso, and the firms of Faberge, Cartier, and Tiffany continuing to advance the concept of wearable art.<br /><br />Style varieties progressed with the creation of plastics, precious metal clay, simulated gemstones, and new coloring techniques. The creation of artificial gemstones and the development of pearl harvesting have made nicer jewelry more affordable than ever. You can even get a simulated diamond for about half the price of the real thing, and according to the jewelers who sell them, the fake ones sparkle more brilliantly. - <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/07/artistic-possibilities.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food: "Dinner Tightens Family Bonds" by Candace E. Salima</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Gathering around the table for family dinner is something that, for too many homes, has gone the way of the past. I find this very sad. Looking back over the years I grew up I recall many a conversation, many a problem being solved, much family history being learned, all around the dinner table.<br /><br />No matter what our schedules were, we had to be home and up to the dinner table by 6:00 p.m. Oh, concerts or games were the exception, then dinner was at 5:00 p.m. My mother was firm on that.<br /><br />There's a lot of cementing of family bonds around the dinner table. Whomever cooked, whether it be mother, father or teenager, there is care and love which goes into the preparation of that meal. Much thought is poured into the nutrition, taste and edible nature of the meal. And from the one who benefited from all that great food, I can say it taste good! For my family, I even go as far as to make certain there are a plethora of colors on the dinner plate when it is filled. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/07/dinner-tightens-family-bonds.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health & Food/Dutch Oven: "Shake or Bake" by Keith Fisher</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"> It started out as a great family, fishing trip. The full moon prevented us from catching any fish but we had fun playing with crawdads and chatting. I made waffles and eggs with the maple syrup we got from a friend who went to Alberta. This syrup isn’t the thin, runny stuff we get in the supermarket, this stuff is so thick you have to wait for it to come out of the bottle. I discovered if you leave it in the sun for awhile, it will pour easier. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"> Now, as I was saying, the trip started out great, but like all good things, there was a lesson in it for me, maybe two or three. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Back in 2003 after a frustrating experience with my camp trailer, I came home and bought a new camp trailer. More out of pride and anger than deliberation. I had a better job then—I figured we had the money. Don’t get me wrong, however, I’ve never regretted buying the new trailer. It has brought us much joy and family togetherness. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/07/shake-or-bake.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "Grandsons as Miracles" by Muriel Sluyter</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />For some reason I am taken back to the birth of my daughter, Heather's, first son. Connor is now 10-years-old and a strapping young man. But I remember when he was born. This was what I wrote eleven years ago.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A tiny, exciting, sweet-smelling creature has come into our lives, a brand-new, precious little grandson; to say we are ecstatic is to understate the case. One of our daughters, Heather, has had her first child; a large, very healthy boy. This little one tried to be born the traditional way, but a childhood injury his mother had sustained during a tubing party left an unexpected barrier, and he was forced to be born by caesarean section. -- </span><a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/07/grandsons-as-miracles.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family/Preparedness: "Is the Food in Your Pantry an Inheritance for Your Grandchildren?" by Barbara Saslbury</span></div><hr style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Food storage or home storage was never meant to be an inheritance for your grandchildren. Now that may come as a shock to some of you. You might be getting a glimmer of thought that I’m going to tell you that you should be planning on eating it – someday. Yes, after all of your scheming and planning of how and where to store it you need to plan to eat it. Now you know you are in trouble.<br /><br />One of the key words or phrases that one always hears or uses upon entering any store that sells “food storage products” is, “what is the shelf life?” Herein is the magic formula. If you can buy a food that you can hide under the stairs and bed forever you have kept the commandment. Right? Right! Haven’t you heard, “You must have your food-storage? Therefore it only makes sense to want to know what the shelf life is of the magic elixir or wonder grain or deluxe freeze-dried phenomenon. Then you can store it! -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/07/is-food-in-your-pantry-inheritance-for.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Gardening & Landscaping: "Oregano, Not Just for Pizza" by Heather Justesen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Some years ago one of my family members was told to take oregano for a health problem. I remember thinking what a strange idea that was—Oregano? You mean that Italian seasoning? When I had planted this versatile herb in my garden I had no intentions of using it medicinally, I just wanted something to spice up my pizza and spaghetti sauce.<br /><br />Oregano was not commonly used in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">USA</st1:place></st1:country-region> until after World War II when the soldiers came back and began talking about pizza. The use of Oregano grew by 5200 percent from 1948 to 1956. The herb is widely used in <st1:place st="on">Mediterranean</st1:place> and Mexican dishes and is commonly mistaken for Majoram—which can be used in it’s place for culinary purposes if you run out. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/07/some-years-ago-one-of-my-family-members.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Not the Colonel's Chicken" by C.L. Beck</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Several years ago, my husband, Russ, and I had an interesting experience. It was so interesting that it sticks out in my mind like it was just … well … several years ago.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">**********<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">“You should have been at the post office today,” I said to Russ.<br /><br />“Why’s that?”<br /><br />“One of the boxes of mail-order chicks broke open and yellow babies were peeping and running all over the place.”<br /><br />I paused. “What would you think about raising poultry?”<br /><br />Russ looked dubious. Who can say why? It’s not like my schemes ever backfired or anything. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/not-colonels-chicken-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Music: "Six Most Common Mistakes Made by Independent Musicians and How to Fix Them" by Greg Hansen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />You’re a singer or songwriter. You have talent, but what do you do with it? Let’s assume you have managed to get funding for an independent recording-what pitfalls do you want to avoid?<br /><br />Here are 6 tips to help you as you embark on your journey as an artist.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mistake #1: Not listening to your audience when writing your material.</span><br /><br />Solution: Think of THEM, not YOU. Know why you are writing, and to whom. Write to uplift people, and not for selfish-expression. If your work requires substantial explanation, you have missed the boat. Know your audience and take them where they (or you) want them to go with your talents. You are already unique, use that for other’s good. -- <a href="http://yourmusicnotes.blogspot.com/2008/07/most-common-mistakes-made-by.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "One More Salute to Pioneers" by Cheri Crane</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Since this post will be featured on Thursday, July 24th at www.yourldsneighborhood.com, I decided to do one more tribute to the courageous pioneers. =) I figure it's a timely thing. One could call this pioneer culture week. ;)<br /><br />During the trip to Nauvoo that our family made in 1997, I wrote the following poem. It's a comparison between their time and ours:<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Along the Mormon Trail<br /><br />Air conditioning<br />Padded seats<br />Snacks for pleasure<br />Riding in comfort<br />Along the Mormon Trail . . .<br /><br />“Are we there yet?”<br />“How much further?”<br />“When’s lunch?”<br />“Is there a rest stop soon?”<br />Along the Mormon Trail . . .<br /><br /></div>-- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/07/one-more-salute-to-pioneers.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religious: "Youth Conference Testimonies" by Rebecca Talley</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I’m going to detour today from writing about our basic beliefs in the LDS Church because I wanted to share an experience I had over the weekend.<br /><br />I am currently serving in the Young Women’s organization in my ward and decided I wanted to attend the 4 Stake youth conference this last Friday and Saturday. Though I could only attend a portion because of babysitter issues, I am very thankful I was able to participate.<br /><br />The conference was held on the old campus of a local college, nestled in the trees and surrounded by the mountains. It’s a beautiful place that’s used for these kinds of events. When I arrived, the youth were involved in different games, including a few water fights. After the games, they all participated in a square dance. It was fun to watch them dance in groups and try to keep up with the steps. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/07/youth-conference-testimonies.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "Scrapbooking Bargains Online" by Kim Thompson</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Let's face it. Scrapbooking can be expensive. If you consider the paper at $1.00 per sheet, stickers approximately $2.00 per sheet, and embellishments at $3.00-$5.00 per package, you can easily spend $10.00 to complete one scrapbook page. And that's not even considering the tools required.<br /><br />Luckily, we have the internet. There are tons of scrapbooking bargains to be found online. The first place to look is eBay. Okay, so I may be a little prejudiced since I have a scrapbooking store on eBay (<a href="http://www.kimsscrapshack.com/">Kim's ScrapShack</a>). But there are a lot of other vendors besides myself who sell products at great prices. Just do a search for scrapbooking and thousands of items will come up. Your best bet is to skip the auctions and just scroll down to the bottom of the page and buy directly from Ebay stores. You can buy items now at bargain prices, without having to wait for an auction to end. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/07/scrapbooking-bargains-online.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Serving Your Neighbor in a Small But Significant Way" by Liz Adair</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br />My husband wears size twelve shoes. This became important as I was ruminating about what the subject of today’s blog would be. I don’t know about you, but I do some of my best (mental) writing while my hands are busy, and this particular ruminating moment I was on my hands and knees scrubbing doggy doo out of the carpet of our travel trailer. We were at a family reunion where there were several dogs, and as my husband was setting up, he stepped in a generous pile and, unknowingly, tracked a size-twelve-ful of it through every area of the trailer.<br /><br />That’s not the first time we’ve had this kind of trouble, lately. We live in a small town, but it’s a well-run little town and has a well-enforced leash law. You never see a dog running loose in town. However, we live on the very edge, and the people across the street live in the county, where the leash law doesn’t apply. They have a black and white spotted dog who must think our front lawn is malnourished, because he fertilizes it regularly. These are very nice neighbors, and I don’t think they know about their dog’s personal service project, but it’s been impressed upon our notice (and our living room carpet) on several occasions. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/07/yourldsneighborhood-service-serving.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Fishing With Family" by Steve Christensen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />This is a fun blog written by my husband which would normally be posted to his blog, but since his internet manager (yes, that's me) is having technical difficulties, I'm posting it here. This is another article for <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com">yourLDSNeighborhood</a> which I highly recommend you visit. Click here to get their free newsletter.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Written by </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="www.stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com">Steve Christensen</a><br /><br />Fishing is a sport that many men and women enjoy. Not many things in life are as exciting as feeling a big fish on your fishing pole and reeling it in with it fighting the whole way. Who doesn’t enjoy being outdoors enjoying the quiet lakes and forests that surround them? I have many fond memories of fishing with my dad and my family.<br /></div><a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/cloverfield.html"><br /><br /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prize, a Trip for Two to China.<br /><br /> </div>The clock is ticking. Subscribe now to become eligible for a Trip for Two to China" by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>. Drawing to be conducted on July 24, 2008.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-87499806240112055562008-07-18T06:00:00.003-06:002008-07-22T21:17:06.099-06:00On the Newsstands July 17, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "Art is Not Necessarily Entertainment" by Gaynell Parker</span><hr /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I remember the first time I heard of performing arts. It was in the movie <span style="font-style: italic;">Legal Eagles</span> starring Robert Redford. I thought hmm...people really pay to see stuff like this?<br /><br />My version of performing arts is plays or theater, concerts, and movies.<br /><br />I especially love movies. I think movies are amazing with what they can do with computer generation and cinematography -- this in itself is an art form. We are big on collecting movies to watch as a family. We don't watch television and don't have cable -- we watch DVDs.<br /><br />Last week, though, we decided we'd had enough. It was either ferret out the movies that were iffy, or choose another option. Not that we had that many PG13 or even R movies -- (the Patriot, Saving Private Ryan) but we decided it was time to be more selective in what we allowed in our home. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/07/art-is-not-necessarily-entertainment.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Caught in the Headlights by Barry K. Phillips" by Alison Palmer</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg604n0HyCKtPqWQpQaDQa04TlmXYXUqinpfIFu0K9BigZxjr0LoKZA_9DoFXk9GA7zlQV0vgxNWPjxm1iqAEx32_K0xTnB0Kq28OvJAo2uiuDnAfNMjbvjK8G7-0obfojfNQAuA36iQBA/s1600-h/caught.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg604n0HyCKtPqWQpQaDQa04TlmXYXUqinpfIFu0K9BigZxjr0LoKZA_9DoFXk9GA7zlQV0vgxNWPjxm1iqAEx32_K0xTnB0Kq28OvJAo2uiuDnAfNMjbvjK8G7-0obfojfNQAuA36iQBA/s320/caught.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225694067546988258" border="0" /></a>Remember my comment about <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/07/enjoying-journey-by-jamie-theler-with.html">not liking to read self-help/improvement books</a> because they depress me?<span style=""> </span>Shockingly, I have just finished another one.<span style=""> </span>I was tricked into it, I tell you!<span style=""> </span>I got this seemingly innocent email asking if I want to review a book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FCaught-Headlights-Lessons-Learned-Hard%2Fdp%2F1599551675%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1215433132%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3ECaught%20in%20the%20Headlights%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;%22">Caught in the Headlights</a> by <a href="http://www.barrykphillips.com/blog">Barry K. Phillips</a>.<span style=""> </span>Taking one look at the title, I laughed out loud and didn’t read any further to find out what type of book it was.<span style=""> </span>Hey, give me a break the title totally described my life that day. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">When it arrived, I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at the cover— <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FCaught-Headlights-Lessons-Learned-Hard%2Fdp%2F1599551675%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1215433132%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3ECaught%20in%20the%20Headlights%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;%22">Caught in the Headlights: 10 Lessons Learned the Hard Way</a>.<span style=""> </span>“Huh” says I, “It’s another one of <i>those</i>.”<span style=""> </span>I consoled myself with the fact that at least it was short (105 pages) and flipped it open.<span style=""> </span>I was immediately hooked.<span style=""> </span>Not only was it short, it had cartoons!<span style=""> </span>Okay, okay, it’s the little things in life, ya know?<span style=""> </span>Before I knew it I’d read another “how to make your life better” books and had a blast doing it.<span style=""> </span>Sneaky author. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/07/caught-in-headlights-by-barry-k.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;">Home and Family: "Nadir of the Facilitator" by Muriel Sluyter</div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Rabbi Boteach, who teaches at Oxford University in Cambridge, England, asked his students if any of them would like to be President of the U.S.A. They ALL wanted to be President. Then, he told them that he had no desire to become President, rather, he would like to be the man to whom the President turns when he needs advice. They were surprised, because today's students are taught that cream rises, and, if you don't rise to the top, you are not the cream. (I'm not sure what that makes you, skim milk, I guess.) The Rabbi's message is that facilitators, those who forward the fortunes of others, at the apparent expense of their own, are accorded little value in today's world, because they have no ambition to be top dog.<br /><br />This "rising to the top" can have disturbing ramifications. For one thing, we have discarded our supposedly outmoded value system and become a society that measures human worth in fortune and/or fame. The most depraved of humans now enjoys extreme adulation, if he is a famous star. His followers require neither integrity nor human decency; their only demand is that they be allowed to worship him; worse, in the minds of many of his devotees, his status is sufficient to acquit him of the most reprehensible wrongdoing. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/07/nadir-of-facilitator.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Casual Summer Days" by Nichole Giles</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I have a confession. For as much as I love jewelry, I don’t wear a lot during the summer. When I say a lot, I mean my normal amount. What I consider regular might be a lot for someone else, but I guess it’s all subjective.<br /><br />My favorite bracelet—a tattooed steel cuff—gives me an odd tan line in the middle of my forearm, just from driving around in my car. And even though I have several watches, I find that during the summer I feel the need to watch the time less and less.<br /><br />I can’t decide if it’s vanity or practicality that drives me to leave so many of my favorite pieces sitting in my jewelry box. On the one hand, tan lines on your wrists are obnoxious to look at, and hard to get rid of. On the other hand, I try to wear sunscreen—which has a lot of metal-harming oils—that can be really hard on jewelry. And lets face it, only supermodels in catalogues actually wear jewelry with a swimsuit. It may look cute, but even so, I highly doubt even those models wear jewels to the beach or pool. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/07/casual-summer-days.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Lasagna Gardening, Part 2" by Heather Justesen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">A few days ago, I talked about creating lasagna beds. Click <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/07/lasagna-gardening-made-easy.html">here </a>to read that post first if you missed it.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">In my area, we have a mushroom plant, I can pick up a truck load (or trailer load) of spent mushroom compost for $15 or $20—a great deal. I put down the layers of newspaper, laid out three or four inches of mushroom compost, then added shredded paper or leaves (I scoured several people’s yards to pick up leaves that hadn’t been raked in the fall), and manure I picked up at the race track (spread thinly since I wasn’t sure how well composted it was—fresh manure can burn you plants’ roots), I threw in egg shells, banana peels, and anything else from my kitchen that would work (again, nothing from an animal). Finally, I laid on another several inches of mushroom compost. Ideally, you should end up with twelve to fourteen inches of bedding when you are finished, though that will compact over time. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/07/lasagna-gardening-part-2.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "Seeds, Seeds and More Seeds" by Barbara Salsbury</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In the parts of the world where it is now summer a lot of people are into gardening, whether it be in pots or plots. Recently quite a few people have been asking me about the possibility of saving seeds and whether or not saved seeds will they grow.<br /><br />Every time someone asks, it is a déjà vu moment. Saving seeds and waxed paper is one of the fondest memories I have of my grandfather back on the little farm in Ohio.<br /><br />Yes, you can save seeds and yes, they will grow. Whether or not your reasons for doing so now is the nasty economy or the fact that it has sort of developed into a fun fad, or you just want to know if it will work for you or not. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/07/seeds-seeds-and-more-seeds.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "Another Solution" by Keith Fisher</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"> While having lunch in the park one day, a pickup truck pulled up. Two men jumped out and unloaded a backyard, propane barbecue. They rolled it over to a table, then rolled it across the park to another. They cooked food for a family on it and lay on the grass to nap away their full stomachs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I turned to look at the permanently installed charcoal barbecue next to our table. I glanced at the ones next to the other tables in the park and I wondered. I turned to my companions, and mentioned the trouble the group across the way went to in order to barbecue in the park. "But nobody uses those gross barbecues," they responded. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I considered that for awhile. The barbecue by our table was full of ash and litter. The grill was caked with remnants of meat, grilled long ago. Then I thought of other parks I’ve been to. Some of those barbecues had never been used. I wondered why. What is wrong with using a public facility? -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/07/another-solution.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Rebel With a Cause" by C.L. Beck</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The Transportation and Safety Administration (TSA) guard at airport security looked at us sternly, opened our carry-on suitcase and rummaged around. “You’ve got something in here that could be a problem,” she said.<br /><br />There we stood in our stocking feet, feeling vulnerable and wondering what we’d done wrong. We were on vacation, and I’d given myself a two-inch streak of gray hair trying to make sure I’d packed correctly. I knew there weren’t any pipe bombs in there, because I’d used my last one the week before. I’d left my <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/dynamite?cat=technology">dynamite</a> at home, along with our machete. And all my really dangerous chemicals—hair gel, hair spray and toothpaste—were in a Ziploc baggie that had already been cleared by security.<br /><br />“Ah-ha,” the guard declared. She pulled out two, one ounce, sealed jars of honey—mementos from a restaurant in Hawaii. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/rebel-with-cause-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "Free to Choose" by Rebecca Talley</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.” 2nd Article of Faith<br /><br />A basic belief of the LDS church is that we are all responsible and accountable for our own individual actions and choices, not for anyone else’s. The Savior’s plan that was presented to us in the pre-existence hinged on allowing us to make our own choices. While Satan wanted to compel us to keep the commandments, Jesus wanted us to choose to follow the commandments of our own free will. We are free to determine our own destinies. David O. McKay said, “Next to the bestowal of life, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man.” Of course, with that free agency also comes consequences.<br /><br />One of my favorite lines in Gone with the Wind is when Rhett and Scarlett are visiting shortly after Frank Kennedy’s death and Scarlett says she’s so sorry for what she’s done, that Frank was Sue Ellen’s beau and that she should never have married him. Rhett replies that she’s just like the thief who isn’t the least bit sorry he’s done something wrong, only that he’s been caught. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/07/free-to-choose.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Shots of the Mormon Trail" by Cheri Crane</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />This week I decided to stick with the pioneer theme of things and share a poem I wrote after seeing a portion of the Mormon Trail for the first time in 1994, shortly before my first book, "Kate's Turn," was published. Eager to explore the Mormon Trail for myself, we made a family trip out of the occasion and drove up to an area in Wyoming known as Martin's Cove. This is the site where so many pioneers lost their lives after a handcart company became stranded during a severe storm.<br /><br />In that same area, you can see Independence Rock, a rock formation where the pioneers carved their names in the granite face. Nearby you can also see Devil's Gate, a perpendicular cleft between two mountainous cliffs. It was there that I received the inspiration to write the following poem. After I share it, I'll include a few pictures that were taken during our 1997 trip to Nauvoo---we followed the Mormon Trail as closely as we could upon our return. During that trip, we traveled with 2 other families---close friends and relatives. It was a wonderful experience. I'll place captions under these pictures to make it easier for you to understand what you're seeing. First, the poem (Incidentally, the picture above is of Devil's Gate.): -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/07/shots-of-mormon-trail.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "Titles and Journaling" by Kim Thompson</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Scrapbookers often find journaling the hardest thing to do, whether it’s coming up with a catchy title for the page or writing a description of the events pictured. But, in my opinion, it is the most important part of the scrapbook.<br /><br />I have a four year old who loves to look through her scrapbook. She often brings it to me and asks me to read ‘her story’. Without the journaling, the book would just be photos. Yes, photos can tell a story. But there are many benefits to adding journaling to your pages.<br /><br />The simple fact is, you will not always be around to tell your children about the pictures in their scrapbook. And frankly, it’s hard to remember detailed facts about every event, vacation, and holiday for which your family has pictures. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/07/titles-and-journaling.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Cut Up That Chicken and Save" by Liz Adair</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />During one of the many times in my married life when means were very slender, I found a chicken farm that was selling molters for fifty cents apiece. Chickens shed their feathers once a year, and during the process, they stop laying for a period of several months. This farm was replacing its molters rather than feed them through the eggless period when they were growing new feathers. I had a beat-up VW bug, and I found that I could transport twenty-five live chickens (feet tied together, laid out atop newspapers on seats and floorboard). They were all strangely quiet during the ride home, and one in particular, occupying the front passenger seat, unnerved me with her steely stare.<br /><br />Those chickens were candidates for the stew pot rather than the frying pan. Fryers have to be young chickens, and no telling how old these were. But, they boiled up great, and I used the stock for soup and the meat for everything from sandwiches to tacos to cannelloni. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/07/yourldsneighborhood-service-tip-for.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "College Road Trip" by Linda Scanlan</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Martin Lawrence (Are We There Yet?) plays the overprotective father James Porter. Raven-Symone (That's So Raven) plays the daughter Melanie Porter, who has chosen to go to Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Kym Whitley (Grey's Anatomy) plays the role of Michelle Porter, the supportive mother.<br /><br />Melanie wants to get as far away from her father as she can. She feels stifled under the protective shield of her police chief father. Melanie is smart and plans a career in Law. She plans a road trip with her best friends after she is informed she has an interview in three days with Georgetown. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/college-road-trip.html">Read More</a><br /></div><a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/cloverfield.html"><br /><br /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prize, a Trip for Two to China.<br /><br /> </div>The clock is ticking. Subscribe now to become eligible for a Trip for Two to China" by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>. Drawing to be conducted on July 24, 2008.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-59456411324119367312008-07-15T06:00:00.006-06:002008-07-21T22:40:44.989-06:00On the Newsstands July 14, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "Water is Beauty in Motion" by Gaynell Parker</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdV1Awz-YPkvUViWuKURONzndU8t_0-a0w_O5UAA1QJBLKKmjloIWvpkUT5pLF14wRENj5tlEW19Ejnw7xJsx1xk-AihIjIQKjvNOvYXL8dYisiOnNde70ESDeyIQsRgivRA7ERieqYM/s1600-h/Multfalls.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdV1Awz-YPkvUViWuKURONzndU8t_0-a0w_O5UAA1QJBLKKmjloIWvpkUT5pLF14wRENj5tlEW19Ejnw7xJsx1xk-AihIjIQKjvNOvYXL8dYisiOnNde70ESDeyIQsRgivRA7ERieqYM/s320/Multfalls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225679189926919698" border="0" /></a>This is my most loved falls of all time -- Multnomah Falls in Oregon.<br /><br />My favorite thing about summer is water. When I was a kid, we'd go swimming at the local high school for 50 cents. I always came home starving -- but that's another issue.<br /><br />This is my dream pool...my hubby and I talk about it all the time, it would be right outside our bedroom...sigh. Hey -- there's nothing wrong with dreaming...grin.<br /><br />Anyway -- we had some neighbors that did the above ground pools, and they were okay, but there's nothing like a big in ground swimming pool. I don't even think the ocean compares, unless it's in the Caribbean...snorkeling has got to be the best thing ever. Otherwise, too much sand...salt, ugh! Oceans are great for walking along the shore with my hubby, but it's not what I think of when I'm thinking of water. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/07/water-is-beauty-in-motion.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "All's Fair by Julie Bellon" by Alison Palmer</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgHNPlJm6NMrL5oFb1BrJmHt55ZUXn208hUNEefQD8sN3owOBnKGmf0ab_eubZnbDo0h_-bA9VNmPTwdjeTTYrxvVypWEOT-h2hAx4YuVxibfD2BUjaCmkPM-JX96tjl-21pDHxvrE6c/s1600-h/allsfair.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgHNPlJm6NMrL5oFb1BrJmHt55ZUXn208hUNEefQD8sN3owOBnKGmf0ab_eubZnbDo0h_-bA9VNmPTwdjeTTYrxvVypWEOT-h2hAx4YuVxibfD2BUjaCmkPM-JX96tjl-21pDHxvrE6c/s320/allsfair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225680817354483298" border="0" /></a>Ok, first my gripe. My puny little mind has a problem switching from one plot focus to another. Oh, it happens all the time—I do it myself. It’s a great way to weave two stories together as you move along. My complaint about using this technique in <a href="http://www.juliebellon.com/">Julie Bellon’s</a> new book <a href="http://www.deseretbooks.com/store/product?sku=5009356">All’s Fair</a>, is that every time she made the shift I found myself cursing her, “Awe, man! It was just getting good! What’d she have to go and do that for?”<br /><br />I loved <a href="http://www.deseretbooks.com/store/product?sku=5009356">All’s Fair</a>. I hated being left on the cliff while she shifted the story between Kristen in the United States and her brother, Brandon, serving in Iraq; it’s just too cruel of a trick to play on someone who’s engrossed in the story. All I wanted to do was skip ahead to the next section of the same plot. My poor impatient self had a hard time waiting to find out what happened next. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/07/alls-fair-by-julie-bellon.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home and Family: "Human Value, Variable or Constant" by Muriel Sluyter</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In all societies, there is an implication, even an acceptance, that some people are of greater value than others. My question is simple; is it true? Are some people, intrinsically, more valuable than others? Is a constructive, hard-working, sober, responsible citizen of greater intrinsic value than a destructive, lazy, drunken or stoned, irresponsible one? No. Let's see why:<br /><br />The answer is no, because when dealing with intrinsic value, as opposed to extrinsic value, we can't count one's worth to the community; much as we might want to, we cannot even count one's tendency toward virtue or vice. In fact, we can neither add to nor subtract from intrinsic value, because, being a constant, it is unaffected by behavior. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/07/human-value-variable-or-constant.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Whimsical to Sober, With Little Inbetween" by Nichole Giles</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />n case you haven’t noticed, I have a thing for fantastic and/or magical characters such as fairies. I also love butterflies, dragonflies, and other things of nature. Which is why the Art Nouveau movement in th<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyKopBNlrejBcvhdsuSJZO98fa9rfdeujKPZlH2hfiwl8QPdvxOMFcJkjPRE-1PjelQPikFxgGg-TemhvzIueCLeJl2o-KEpR024d2oySr7vNyjawK-oJ7aL31BWziCm6pmCxzUTA3nn2/s1600-h/119-6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221635594521266178" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyKopBNlrejBcvhdsuSJZO98fa9rfdeujKPZlH2hfiwl8QPdvxOMFcJkjPRE-1PjelQPikFxgGg-TemhvzIueCLeJl2o-KEpR024d2oySr7vNyjawK-oJ7aL31BWziCm6pmCxzUTA3nn2/s200/119-6.jpg" border="0" /></a>e early nineteenth century—with its focus on themes of nature, fantasy, and the female form—is so attractive to me.<br /><br />Imagine pieces created from enamel, precious metals, or glass, with floral motifs involving animals, birds, butterflies, dragonflies and peacock feathers. Graceful, feminine lines and images of fairies, mermaids or nymphs were completed with long, twisting manes of hair. This is what was happening in the 1890s.<br /><br />The new style was as much about art as it was about jewelry, with some German and Danish influence pushing the trend, thanks to contributions by fabulous designers like Rene Lalique, Wiener Werkstaette, and Georg Jensen. Other abstract ideas such as Cubism—art in the form of cubes—were brought about from contributions of well-known artists like Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso, who were known to make some jewelry. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/07/whimsical-to-sober-with-little-in.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Lasagna, Gardening Made Easy" by Heather Justesen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">I’ve mentioned before that my ground is rather more rocks than dirt, and what part is dirt, is mostly clay, so when I began looking into plans for landscaping, I realized digging down to plant was not going to work for me. For many reasons, people may have land that can’t be easily dug, whether it’s because of hardpan, rocks, other things that have grown in the space before (ie a pine tree that had been dropping its needles for a century) or even because all they have is a large slab of cement (yes, you can garden on that unused basketball court your children abandoned as they moved out).</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">There is a solution to all of these problems—it’s called lasagna gardening. This is a method developed by Patricia Lanza in response to her inability to keep up with weeding, tilling and the hundred other problems that traditional gardening includes. This method does away with tilling, much of the weeding and other work. Here’s how it works: -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/07/lasagna-gardening-made-easy.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "Sugars in Your Pantry or Not" by Barbara Salsbury</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />There may be two drastically different ways of viewing sugars today. One could be caused by the economy and the skyrocketing prices, where you must decide if bread or sugar goes onto the shopping list. The other one could be influenced by your view of nutrition.<br /><br />First, a view of sugar from the pantry, sugar stores well. The rule of thumb is granulated sugars needs to be kept dry and brown sugars need to be kept moist. This means an airtight container with a tight fitting lid. One word of caution, I have discovered that brown sugar kept in metal cans sometimes causes rust to form because of the moisture and can taint the taste of the sugar. Should you choose metal, make sure it has a food grade finish inside of the container, (such as commercially made canisters) with no chips, cracks or dents. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/07/sugars-in-your-pantry-or-not.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "Picking and Choosing, Part 2" by Keith Fisher</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"> You will remember last time, when we started our discussion about choosing the right Dutch oven for you. I started writing the second half today, and discovered I had 1100 words. I decided you'd probably fall asleep reading it, so I think I'll change my plans. Will it be okay if we split the subject up into brief reviews of each manufacturer, and talk about materials in another blog? We learned how to choose quality last time, but remember you get what you pay for. </p><div style="text-align: justify;">Did you get a chance to go to the store and look at Dutch ovens? Did you check out the ringing sound cast iron makes? Interesting isn’t it? Keep in mind that with some types of Dutch ovens you won’t be able to perform that test. It works on what we call a camp oven, because a camp oven has a bail. What is a camp oven? -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/07/by-keith-fisher-you-will-remember-last.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Send Someone Up With a Shoe" by C.L. Beck</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />It was six inches long, with wiggly antennae. We were on vacation, in a hotel. My husband, Russ, was asleep with a cold, and I was in a stand-off with Mother Nature.<br /><br />“Russ, get up. There’s a giant bug.” You’d think an entomologist would say something more precise than, “a giant bug.” I should have mentioned the order and species. But when you’re faced with a bug that’s big enough to consider you dinner, you don’t think rationally.<br /><br />“Just squash it,” Russ mumbled. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/send-someone-up-with-shoe-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "The Father and the Son, Separate and Distinct" by Rebecca Talley</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />“We ought to be real students—students like no one else. … If we, in this lay Church, don’t become proficient in learning the gospel of Jesus Christ, who on earth will? If the elders of Israel do not become profound theologians, who on earth will? If you mothers and mothers-to-be don’t learn the gospel sufficiently to teach your children, who on earth will? And, you missionaries, if you don’t learn the message the Lord would have you teach, who on earth will? Many painfully discover the obvious—you can’t teach well that which you do not know!” (Joe J. Christensen, “Learning Is Everybody’s Business,” Ensign, Feb. 1979, pp. 64–65).<br /><br />I’m going to focus on this quote as I blog about missionary work over the next several weeks. I will be writing about the basic beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in hopes that those who are not of our faith can learn more about us, and those of us who are LDS can strengthen our knowledge and be more effective as we teach the gospel to others. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/07/father-and-son-separate-and-distinct.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Pioneer Heritage" by Cheri Crane</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSdSC3fm4Wys77hJEBebdItLTb9bAoDpIirIuX828gj8t4mEvSt9hBW3YoTjAqyjihxK7hp-GHXNdX4d1jOpLUZiWihHN0zecaEdf_0CfTW4lOeU1GfPZvaWpunvJtJbYnoHU3Q8ddsM/s1600-h/Nauvootrip2007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSdSC3fm4Wys77hJEBebdItLTb9bAoDpIirIuX828gj8t4mEvSt9hBW3YoTjAqyjihxK7hp-GHXNdX4d1jOpLUZiWihHN0zecaEdf_0CfTW4lOeU1GfPZvaWpunvJtJbYnoHU3Q8ddsM/s320/Nauvootrip2007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225687178884890834" border="0" /></a>Since it's July and at some point during the month, (usually around the 24th) our thoughts center on our pioneer heritage, I felt it would be fitting to touch on this item today and share a bit of pioneer culture.<br /><br />I really like what President Uchtdorf said recently about the pioneers: "I have no ancestors among the 19th century pioneers. However, since the first days of my Church membership, I have felt a close kinship to those early pioneers who crossed the plains. They are my spiritual ancestry, as they are for each and every member of the Church, regardless of nationality, language, or culture. They established not only a safe place in the West but also a spiritual foundation for the building of the kingdom of God in all the nations of the world." (July 2008 Ensign, pg. 5) -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/07/pioneer-heritage.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "Scrapbooking Playground" by Kim Thompson</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Would you like to have your own scrapbooking website? A place to upload layouts for family members and friends to see online? I recently learned about a fun website that allows you to do just that. ScrapWow offers a fun, innovative way to create your own website.<br /><br />After creating a website for his newborn daughter, Nick Romer, founder of ScrapWow, shared it with family and friends. Many thought it was remarkable and asked how they could create their own website for posting photos. Nick combined what he knew from his experience in the craft industry and launched ScrapWow.com, the ground-breaking result of sharing photos online with a scrapbook look and feel. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/07/scrapbooking-playground.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "The Demise of the Full-Service Station" by Liz Adair</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I remember the first time I ever pumped my own gas at a service station. It was back in the early 1970’s, not too long after the Arab oil embargo. The cost of gas had risen to somewhere around forty cents a gallon, and using the self-serve pump was a way to save the cost of one gallon on each thankful.<br /><br />Even back then, I was an an old dog, reluctant to learn new tricks. However, after riding with my super-frugal neighbor, and watching how she confidently got out of her car, took off her gas cap, lifted the nozzle, turned the lever, and squeezed the trigger, I thought, “I can do that.” -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/07/yourldsneighborhood-service-demise-of.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "High School Hero" by Steve Christensen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about the Hoyt family- a story of a father with a son who was disabled from birth who made his son’s life joyful and happy by taking him along on his marathons and triathlons. Today I am writing about another disabled young man who had his own dreams come true. His name is Jason McElway.<br /><br />Jason lives in Rochester, New York and was the team manager for the local high school basketball team. Jason suffers from autism. On the final game of the basketball season the coach asked Jason to suit up for the game. The coach didn’t know if Jason would be able to play or not but wanted to at least have him be part of the team for the last game. Jason ended up playing in the final few minutes of that game and had his dreams come true. I have posted the video of this amazing story below. Scroll down to see it. -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/07/high-school-hero.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "Cloverfield" by Linda Scanlan</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Everyone in the household was worked up to see Cloverfield. An American Godzilla story set in Manhattan Island (Why is it always the New York City area that gets destroyed?). After watching it last night I was grateful I hadn't spent money at the theater to watch it.<br /><br />The story is about Rob who is moving to Japan after receiving a promotion. Rob and his long time girlfriend Beth are going through a rough time. A surprise going away party is hosted for Rob in which Beth attends with a date.<br /><br />Jason is Rob's brother who is in love with Lily. Lily and Jason are the brains behind the surprise party. Jason is trying to console Rob about Beth while encouraging Rob to do something about it. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/cloverfield.html">Read More</a><br /></div><a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/cloverfield.html"><br /><br /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prize, a Trip for Two to China.<br /><br /> </div>The clock is ticking. Subscribe now to become eligible for a Trip for Two to China" by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>. Drawing to be conducted on July 24, 2008.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-74646090596838764122008-07-11T06:00:00.006-06:002008-07-21T21:36:54.188-06:00On the Newsstands July 10, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "Beauty of the Night" by Gaynell Parker<hr /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyK698EEDs7azVFgyGhnVe5WKCNR5DBIOYT1rU6PcaJ0btThXgBYbuThgDuFVvBpNb2Y7quK75cZMBprJug089FiacszsKhBa051jLq5lC6KmzR-MPrl6fp48cyd_zt70dt-UnGlrXfzE/s1600-h/nightsky.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyK698EEDs7azVFgyGhnVe5WKCNR5DBIOYT1rU6PcaJ0btThXgBYbuThgDuFVvBpNb2Y7quK75cZMBprJug089FiacszsKhBa051jLq5lC6KmzR-MPrl6fp48cyd_zt70dt-UnGlrXfzE/s400/nightsky.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225666562914042034" border="0" /></a>For the weekend of the 4th, my family went camping with a couple of my hubbies siblings and their families. We went to Stillwater, UT, which is a part of the Wasatch - Cache National Forest. It was gorgeous. I haven't been camping in a long time (it's not one of my favorite pastimes -- I like a real bed and running water, thank you) and so it was a good outing for us. We had to leave one daughter behind, as she works fast food, and no one gets the 4th off...grin.<br /><br />The camp site was nice and roomy, there were lots of tables, and even a fire pit so we could have a fire. It was also at least 10 degrees cooler than home, so I was very happy. Nighttime was even better, it was cold enough to snuggle under the sleeping bag, and once we got past the first night and figured out which way to put the stupid sleeping bag so we were both covered, the second night was bliss. (As long as you ignored the dang bird that woke us up every morning at 5:30 shrieking at the top of it's lungs, the loud river going by less than a mile from us, and the early birds of our own campsite -- and did I mention the mosquitoes? UGH This photo is from Yellowstone and Old Faithful.) -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/07/beauty-of-night.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Enjoying the Journey by Jamie Theler" by Alison Palmer<hr /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4MVbqQGWiL20-FX5wlRd3GoBcPz-dO1rLWcNXekGcOsEric57LL6h3y3U9Rpz3uRNlEmDyb9d9DOaAw_P3tJuDQeNrWsYe5WQnmdjPjY7y6f6Is353PjOaqGMoIj7c-k6J-dVZv5P50/s1600-h/Enjoyingthe+Journey.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4MVbqQGWiL20-FX5wlRd3GoBcPz-dO1rLWcNXekGcOsEric57LL6h3y3U9Rpz3uRNlEmDyb9d9DOaAw_P3tJuDQeNrWsYe5WQnmdjPjY7y6f6Is353PjOaqGMoIj7c-k6J-dVZv5P50/s320/Enjoyingthe+Journey.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225668453864694866" border="0" /></a> I have a confession to make.<span style=""> </span>I read a lot of “how-to” books (which frightens my husband a bit, trying to figure out which “how-tos” I might actually try).<span style=""> </span>The “how-to” books that I don’t read are probably the ones that could help me the most.<span style=""> </span>I don’t read “Life is great, this is how to be happy” books.<span style=""> </span>Why?<span style=""> </span>They depress me.<span style=""> </span>Their “simple” steps to happiness are far from simple for me and I come away feeling even worse about how I’m living my life.<span style=""> </span>If what they say is true then obviously it should be easier and I’m getting something major wrong that I can’t seem to fix.<span style=""> </span>Make sense? <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">I know it’s counterintuitive to everything the gospel teaches but that’s the power of Satan.<span style=""> </span>He knows me well and makes sure I notice how inadequate I am in the face of such “simple” solutions that seem to work for “everyone else”.<span style=""> </span>So that’s the big confession, I don’t read books that might actually be of use to me because I’m too afraid they won’t work and I’m too far gone already. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/07/enjoying-journey-by-jamie-theler-with.html">Read More</a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home and Family: "Do I Really Want My Child to Become This?" by Muriel Sluyter<hr /></span><br />A Doctor who specializes in helping infertile parents have a child has said that the various procedures involved can cost many tens of thousands of dollars. Parents who have the money needed and who spend that money to have their very own baby do not ever think of the chance that this much-wanted child could turn out to be a Jack The Ripper or, perhaps, a Ted Bundy or even a Charles Manson. No parent would ever have a child if he or she thought that the longed-for little one could turn out in such a way.<br /><br />Since Americans are more concerned about crime, and especially violent crime, than anything else perhaps an analysis of the causes of crime would be in order. After all, people who only succeed in having one baby would give anything to keep that child from becoming a violent criminal. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/07/do-i-really-want-my-child-to-become.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Isn't It Romantic" by Nichole Giles<hr /></span><br />In case you were wondering, I bought glow bracelets for Independence day last week. Along with red, white, and blue plastic necklaces. And I wore my dangle silver star earrings. I’m of the opinion that if you’re going to do something, you might as well do it all the way. I did stop at putting a flag in my hair. Because, well, I don’t have enough hair to hold one up. But if I did…who knows.<br /><br />I sat in a stadium full of people, watching the sky fill with jewels and my breath caught in my throat. Not just from smoke inhalation, either. The colors and sparkles, and creativity with which those fireworks erupted was purely genius in its art. But, that’s what entertainment is about, right? Plus, it gave me a killer great idea for a new scene in the book I’m writing. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/07/isnt-it-romantic.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Controlling Garden Pests" by Heather Justesen<hr /></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">The grasshoppers are coming out at my house, and though my birds are chasing them like mad, they haven’t been able to keep them under control in the unlandscaped portions of my property—so we’re seeing some damage on my flowers and vegetables as well. At the same time, I’m reluctant to use pesticides because I don’t want my poultry to ingest any and my cats like to wander through the garden when they sneak out.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal">As LDS people, we have been taught that we have a stewardship over the world, and that we need to take care of it. However, growing organically can be very expensive, and a whole lot of hassle. There are many simple and inexpensive bug control methods available, however—some even less expensive than that bottle of bug spray. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/07/controlling-garden-pests.html">Read More</a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "Preparedness Supplies vs. Debt" by Barbara Salsbury<hr /></span><br />The panic and hype is on. Many people are feeling the crunch that is taking place with the checkbook, the price of gas, the economy in general and in all sorts of miscellaneous places of their lives. Suddenly many people are jumping on the preparedness bandwagon that have never ventured near it before.<br /><br />In fact, one of the most disconcerting questions that I have recently been asked is, “Is having preparedness supplies important enough that I go into debt to acquire them now?<br /><br />My answer? Absolutely not! Going into debt to be prepared is only exchanging one worrisome problem for another. One of the best gifts you can give yourself is debt-free living. Debt is so very easy to acquire. Not a week goes by that you won’t find half a dozen or more pre-approved credit card applications in the mailbox. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/07/preparedness-supplies-vs-debt.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "Picking and Choosing, Which One Should You Buy?" by Keith Fisher<hr /></span><br />The holiday is behind us, it’s time to start planning for the next one. It’s also time to purchase that Dutch oven you’ve always wanted. One of the most asked questions I get is, "Which Dutch oven should I buy?" It depends on what you want to cook. I know that sounds flippant, but when I finish, you will understand. </div><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><div style="text-align: justify;">In order to discuss the answers to this question, we will talk about five manufacturers and five factors: cost, quality, size, type, and material. With constantly rising prices today, perhaps cost should be the most important factor, but let’s start with size. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/07/picking-and-choosing-which-one-should.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlet/Humor: "Then There Was Lunch" by C.L. Beck<hr /></span><br />When people ask where I get my inspiration for writing, I laugh and look pointedly at my husband, Russ.<br /><br />Considering that his escapades always show up in my musings—a fact he’s most patient about—I’m giving him a break. Today’s article won’t include any mention of him.<br /><br />While searching the internet for an alternate topic, I discovered a <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article152044.ece">tabloid article</a> about a man who kept snakes, termites, and poisonous arachnids as pets. It turns out one of his black widow spiders thought he would make a tasty treat and tried him for lunch. Then the other creatures finished him for dessert. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/then-there-was-lunch-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "The Power of the Book of Mormon" by Rebecca Talley<hr /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0967686563?tag=thebookfilmst-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0967686563&adid=143Y7TSCJHY3MAEPZW60&"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCf_Xpq3WruzesZNn8XmqROxuxxO63qcjLTcPZL90eJBjQ7ohhZ9vAxIWN-CRxZe6vg64Ro3yg-8R3GuWi5HxM00DBEvGq-Ey50bQUXfl8ZXUZa2NU6FEPthiBEixCPELW-pHB2x5UZs/s320/bookofmormon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225672877188383602" border="0" /></a>My daughter met a young man while she was at college who had stopped attending the LDS Church when he was a youth. He even joined a different church. When a friend of his returned from his mission, this young man set out to prove why the LDS Church was false. He wanted to make sure his points were valid so he decided to study the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0967686563?tag=thebookfilmst-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0967686563&adid=143Y7TSCJHY3MAEPZW60&">Book of Mormon</a> in an effort to find the holes in the gospel. A funny thing happened. As this young man studied the Book of Mormon, instead of finding holes, he found his own testimony. Though he is older than the other young men, he is now serving his mission and hoping to share with others what he learned himself in an unconventional way.<br /><br />My own grandfather, a baptized member of the Church, spent a great deal of time reading and studying anti-Mormon literature. Based on these different books and articles, he drew false conclusions about the Church and was quite bitter towards it. I begged him to read the Book of Mormon, but he refused. Why? I suspect it’s because he didn’t want to know the truth. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/07/power-of-book-of-mormon.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Idaho's Version of the Caribbean" by Cheri Crane<hr /></span><br />This past holiday weekend, I had the chance to hang out at a favorite local attraction, Bear Lake. It has often been referred to as the Caribbean of the Rockies. Once you see this beautiful lake, you'll understand why it has earned that nickname. The water is often an aquamarine color, not typically seen in a mountain valley. There are a variety of stories, legends, and some scientific data that explain why it's this vivid color of blue. I especially like the tales that include the famed Bear Lake Monster, a distant cousin to the Loch Ness character that Scotland brags about on occasion.<br /><br />When my family first moved to Bear Lake Valley in 1979 (don't make fun, I'm not senior citizen material just yet) this lake was a huge attraction. We played in the water whenever possible. At that time, we stayed primarily on the north beach, which is open to the general public. There is a slight fee for this privilege, but it's worth it. On a hot summer day, the cool water is inviting. We usually brought along a picnic lunch of some kind, taking advantage of the numerous picnic tables that line this beach. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/07/idahos-version-of-caribbean.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "The Stackable Crew" by Kim Thompson<hr /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r-7EQyIh4nUX4mY7L8wByFmco_aTlPje-14d8BeHKZmhEaYAUPJA3Zj3RvkrsNuW3wI0DOe0YYG_nwvsUHMI_uqo3QRUOUDlBzDmZVFv95nbpnjsBuae5ROsAb-Jkcd9MpIhjDwo544/s1600-h/stackablecrew.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r-7EQyIh4nUX4mY7L8wByFmco_aTlPje-14d8BeHKZmhEaYAUPJA3Zj3RvkrsNuW3wI0DOe0YYG_nwvsUHMI_uqo3QRUOUDlBzDmZVFv95nbpnjsBuae5ROsAb-Jkcd9MpIhjDwo544/s400/stackablecrew.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225674130194793602" border="0" /></a>Today, I’m happy to be able to highlight one of the newest vendors on the scrapbooking block at the <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Neighborhood</a>, The <a href="http://www.stackablecrew.com/">Stackable Crew</a>.<br /><br />Three years ago, J.S. Broo was doing crafts with her kids at the kitchen table. She created several three-dimensional animal figures for her children to play with. Her neighbors and friends saw them, were impressed, and wanted copies. Soon, she used her amazing talent to create figures upon request, for anyone who needed them. One day, someone told her she should market them; that people would pay for her artwork. So, she decided to give it a try. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/07/stackable-crew.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Infrared Barbeques" by Liz Adair<hr /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENgbO2oVWuwdzmBOn_NmbDOQ3hbtGC0-j3WQSN3MES_5rUXh5d5tOB3GIQJ2Sh3IDuIvB8BRf_bqy_Id6deyP57rJ80zl2Er7TxM-Xfa9BorxCKHneDtwWFxizlL8l02YA_lngxMTMV4/s1600-h/Roast.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENgbO2oVWuwdzmBOn_NmbDOQ3hbtGC0-j3WQSN3MES_5rUXh5d5tOB3GIQJ2Sh3IDuIvB8BRf_bqy_Id6deyP57rJ80zl2Er7TxM-Xfa9BorxCKHneDtwWFxizlL8l02YA_lngxMTMV4/s320/Roast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225674895380337042" border="0" /></a>This is an odd subject for a blog on service, but stay with me as I blog about barbeques. If you have one that’s long in the tooth and are thinking about replacing it, you may want to know about the new infrared barbeques.<br /><br />Because my husband has great shopping genes, and because I’d rather serve as a Cub Scout den mother again than be forced to spend hours in a store shopping for anything, I simply announced that his Father’s Day gift was a new barbeque, and he was in charge of finding it, making the purchase, and hauling it home. Easiest Father’s Day I’ve ever done. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/07/yourldsneighborhood-service-infrared.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports and Recreation: "Summertime is for Celebration Days" by Rachelle Christensen<hr /></span><br />I’ve noticed something about Utah’s cities. Nearly every one has some kind of “Celebration Days” during the summertime. I live in Utah County and there are tons of cities around. The celebrations usually start in May, for example “Salem Days” and extend clear into September when you can hit “Payson Onion Days” on Labor Day.<br /><br />I grew up in a rural community in Idaho and didn’t remember going to a lot of different celebrations. But then I figured maybe that was because everything was too far away.<br /><br />So I started researching cities and found several within 50 miles of where I grew up who do hold annual celebrations for all kinds of things like, “Pioneer Days,” “River Festival,” “Scandivanian Festival,” and more. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/07/summer-is-time-for-celebration-days.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports and Recreation/Movies: "Stargate Continuum" by Linda Scanlan<hr /></span><br /><br /><center><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wyJFtFTl-uE&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wyJFtFTl-uE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></center><br /><br />And so the fans of SG-1 get another taste of the series they have come to love. With the release of the DVD this month, I thought I would recap on the original movie "Stargate" with Kurt Russell.<br /><br />The trailer for the original "Stargate" is really good! It truly encompasses the action, adventure, and excitement of the first mission of the Stargate. This movie sets the stage for earth's defense against the bad influences of the universe. Stargate used originally as a way to identify threats from unknown assailants, becomes earths gateway to knowledge. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/magical-movie-moments-stargate-contiuum.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prize, a Trip for Two to China. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The clock is ticking. Subscribe now to become eligible for a Trip for Two to China" by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>. Drawing to be conducted on July 24, 2008.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-32613958922814850032008-07-08T06:00:00.006-06:002008-07-08T06:00:05.015-06:00On the Newsstands July 7, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "The Colors of Freedom Don't Run" by Gaynell Parker</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ2rAzUElRJ2I8A3DaKym0HZYcj1yVjaPtS7Gl_CuJBrXEfdwwJQsc1t9BjpSGul7ZIfPVDQEGomDUVbIVfCF8Df1Gcm7LPjKnUHe4Ohv1l0gCxTMW5rQeRw8N_whVMsRZrfEgZplgoM/s1600-h/flag2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQ2rAzUElRJ2I8A3DaKym0HZYcj1yVjaPtS7Gl_CuJBrXEfdwwJQsc1t9BjpSGul7ZIfPVDQEGomDUVbIVfCF8Df1Gcm7LPjKnUHe4Ohv1l0gCxTMW5rQeRw8N_whVMsRZrfEgZplgoM/s400/flag2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219718874801982466" border="0" /></a>I thought I would continue my thoughts on patriotism and our flag. I started with the idea that we've heard different versions of what the red, white and blue stand for. I think everyone has heard the red is for the blood, etc. Well, in looking it up, I discovered that the initial founding fathers really had no reason for their choice. It came later on -- but they discussed the colors in the seal.<br /><br />"Their significance was explained by Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, and included in the book "<span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/misc/ourflag/titlepage.htm">Our Flag</a></span>," published in 1989: White represents purity and innocence; red represents hardiness and valor; and blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice." They also had this: "Also this from a book about the flag published in 1977 by the House of Representatives... -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/07/colors-of-freedom-dont-run.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "House of Secrets by Jeffrey S. Savage" by Alison Palmer</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr7yKzXFZJ3BsvStnf-A_Xa5nr1ynRLAperONLscki7pRFwOcBM6ZJt9CxfhtGYaiHHoiIyaNbpUjy1PUWhqRknk5wmSYAYI5bnPEkd6-XLI07KnPIgOVctpk9NY6OlSno1LG9TeuY64/s1600-h/houseofsecrets.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr7yKzXFZJ3BsvStnf-A_Xa5nr1ynRLAperONLscki7pRFwOcBM6ZJt9CxfhtGYaiHHoiIyaNbpUjy1PUWhqRknk5wmSYAYI5bnPEkd6-XLI07KnPIgOVctpk9NY6OlSno1LG9TeuY64/s400/houseofsecrets.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219719938857366162" border="0" /></a>I recently had the pleasure of re-reading a favorite book of mine: <a href="http://www.deseretbooks.com/store/product?sku=4951893">House of Secrets</a> by <a href="http://jscottsavage.blogspot.com/">Jeffery S. Savage</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the first book in the Shandra Covington mystery series, and I love it. If you’re a mystery fan, but hate having to skip whole pages because of negative content, then these books are for you. The main character is LDS and there are a few cultural references. Aside from that it’s just a clean and exciting novel that anyone could pick up and appreciate. There are no covert or not-so-covert gospel messages and valuable insights, well except maybe: don’t go into houses that have been standing empty for years, there’s probably a good reason no one else is dumb enough to go inside. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/07/house-of-secrets-by-jeffery-s-savage.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "Americans Don't Understand Their Enemies" by Muriel Sluyter</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Do Americans remember these words? "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door."<br /><br />How about these? "... America! America! May God thy gold refine, Till all success be nobleness, And every gain divine ... God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea."<br /><br />Compare those with the German national anthem, "Deutschland, Deutschland, Über Alles!" Translated straight across, those words mean, "Germany, Germany, Over All." Americans think that means the same as "Girls rule!" or maybe "We’re The Greatest!" Not so. They refer to the royal, racial right of Germany to rule the entirety of humanity. When they say "rule," they actually mean "rule." -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/07/americans-dont-understand-their-enemies.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Ruby - Birthstone of Love" by Nichole Giles</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-UiIoVgX5ro6O55X6oUqU0pReXDqbRyhDYU-_Ajgbo6gBWqK1hNS_h2kcsgy9x5oZ6VMbNzUnosygHnAhzb469MJ8iJB9NyZ4fg9tFmQkIpwzj-PDifwaF0oUmFCK9-KMf7p2sPldigZ/s1600-h/images+rubies.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218961440400442770" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-UiIoVgX5ro6O55X6oUqU0pReXDqbRyhDYU-_Ajgbo6gBWqK1hNS_h2kcsgy9x5oZ6VMbNzUnosygHnAhzb469MJ8iJB9NyZ4fg9tFmQkIpwzj-PDifwaF0oUmFCK9-KMf7p2sPldigZ/s320/images+rubies.jpg" border="0" /></a>A good friend, and fellow blogger, <a href="http://www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com/">Rachelle Christensen</a>, emailed me a few weeks ago, suggesting that I blog about birthstones and flowers of the month. I loved her ideas, and appreciate her suggestion. And since July is my birth month, I’ve decided this is a great time to get started.<br /><br />The July birthstone is the beautiful ruby. Historically, rubies have represented love and passion, heat and power. Some cultures believed the hard, bright stones had magical qualities. Rubies were worn by royalty to protect them from evil. Some claimed a stone would grow darker when danger was near, and return to its original color once the danger had passed—as long as it was in the hands of the rightful owner. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/07/ruby-birthstone-of-love.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Sage - A Versatile Herb" by Heather Justesen</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmELk1UVouAcmM5be_RE511E-MauU4UxyW6aMPtumL4Ba_h9BVwc2PkGI8joQopRky-uTSj-Y7ZM-K0L9oTtwKKck2cwTrfL0g24JdnP27PqNca136TCZV6RYvFzG88iiI-XlFAfkB1bA/s1600-h/sage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 166px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmELk1UVouAcmM5be_RE511E-MauU4UxyW6aMPtumL4Ba_h9BVwc2PkGI8joQopRky-uTSj-Y7ZM-K0L9oTtwKKck2cwTrfL0g24JdnP27PqNca136TCZV6RYvFzG88iiI-XlFAfkB1bA/s400/sage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219721373891943410" border="0" /></a>Salvia officinalis, also known as common garden sage, is one of the standard herbs I always keep in my cupboard, and better yet, in my garden beds. It is a woody, low-growing shrub that is evergreen in most areas. It prefers a light, sandy soil that is alkalai. It doesn’t like to be very wet, and tolerates drought conditions once it’s well established. It likes to be trimmed back in the late spring to keep it compact, and the plants need to be replaced every four years or so.<br /><br />Sage can be started from seed or from cuttings, but doesn’t do well in really cold winters it’s first year, so if you are going to use cuttings, start them in May or take them indoors the first winter. This plant loves sunny areas, but will do well in dappled shade as well. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/07/sage-versitile-herb.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "Remember the Popcorn" by Barbara Salsbury</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />You may have staples and basics in your preparedness pantry. Well, on that same shelf should be another kind of grain that must be considered a priority. That would be popcorn. Yes, popcorn! In our experiences of living through extremely difficult times, one of the things that bailed us out of the doldrums in many instances was popcorn. From now on make popcorn one of those items that must be included when you think of the Morale Boosters you will need for comfort food – no matter what time or season of year it may be!<br /><br />Did you know that popcorn can be part of a meal as well as a snack? A good-for-you lunch is a good-sized bowl of popcorn and a bowl of canned peaches, or some other fruit. In fact, the Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition, (University of California at Berkeley, Random House, 1992) details how nutritional popcorn really is. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/07/remember-popcorn.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "Putting My Pots into Practice" by Keith Fisher</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3No5NXVMXS5bxyMykQ83y403DgoakNRMtnGqxYT7O0VL2__a8KVAoiNNW1Q8PREI5hnsCkrz4QrPT29vPT6WFonqohlvii0P4m5-4vtaJ8GMEvY7boEtvev8x5PNzsq2BHk1qSnSemw/s1600-h/dutchovenfood.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3No5NXVMXS5bxyMykQ83y403DgoakNRMtnGqxYT7O0VL2__a8KVAoiNNW1Q8PREI5hnsCkrz4QrPT29vPT6WFonqohlvii0P4m5-4vtaJ8GMEvY7boEtvev8x5PNzsq2BHk1qSnSemw/s400/dutchovenfood.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219722092817096498" border="0" /></a> I know I promised to talk about Dutch ovens today, but it’s been one of those weeks when you end up with too many tasks and not enough time to do them. Now I’m camping cooking a pile of good food. I came back down the canyon in the middle of the night in order to post my blog. I need to hurry back to make waffles and eggs. Later, I’m making baked beans and bratwurst. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I realize that most of you won't read this til Monday but some of you will read it today, July 4, I suggest you make your holiday great. Invite your friends and family to eat it what you cook, and take a bow when they start the applause. Since I’m taking a little break, I’m going to show a few Dutch oven dishes I’ve encountered over the years. I cooked some of them. Click on the picture to see a biger one. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/07/putting-my-pots-into-practice.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "The Evil Beasts of Summer" by C.L. Beck</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The evil beasts of summer have returned.<br /><br />No, I’m not talking about the kids that <a href="http://www.doorbellfactory.com/">ring your doorbell</a> just as you climb into bed—and then run, laughing, into the night—I’m talking about the real deal. Bugs.<br /><br />The other day my husband, Russ, ran into the house shouting, “There’s an ant invasion. Where’s the bug spray?” -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/07/evil-beasts-of-summer-by-cindy-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "Conversations in Cyberspace" by Rebecca Talley</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><em>"There are conversations going on about the Church constantly. Those conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches. While some conversations have audiences in the thousands or even millions, most are much, much smaller. But all conversations have an impact on those who participate in them. Perceptions of the Church are established one conversation at a time."</em> <strong>Elder M. Russell Ballard</strong><br /><br />Back in the day (as my son likes to say) these conversations took place face-to-face or through letters. When I was a teenager, we didn’t have the internet so we didn’t have MySpace, Facebook, Chatting or Instant Messaging. The opportunity to communicate has now exploded and boundaries that existed some years back no longer exist. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/07/conversations-in-cyberspace.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "4th of July, Nauvoo Style" by Cheri Crane</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1j9z3vYTYyfD5uYrZySr7rfScgH0ISCyTC0kokUWo_IIC33twlnB2SWiAH3fLos3Z3KcqCxX81IbfTzRIzwDULK6mfzPG2iY9PLNRBNcdQdqXwx1AUSxm0cD5y3g-gfXvrL-OgUmAS4/s1600-h/Nauvootrip2007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 139px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1j9z3vYTYyfD5uYrZySr7rfScgH0ISCyTC0kokUWo_IIC33twlnB2SWiAH3fLos3Z3KcqCxX81IbfTzRIzwDULK6mfzPG2iY9PLNRBNcdQdqXwx1AUSxm0cD5y3g-gfXvrL-OgUmAS4/s400/Nauvootrip2007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219723640560541538" border="0" /></a>Last year at this same time I happened to be in Nauvoo, Illinois. My husband and I had traveled there with his mother and stepfather. According to the journal entry I made on July 4, 2007, we began the day by going for a wagon ride around Nauvoo Old Town. Naturally I took lots of pictures which I will share throughout this blog.<br /><br />The shot below is a picture of the Nauvoo Temple that I took while sitting on a wooden seat in the wagon. This is a great way to see the restored buildings and homes that make up the heart of Nauvoo. The grove of trees you can see below is gorgeous. Our tour guide told us that this is where the Prophet Joseph Smith would often preach to the gathered Saints. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/07/4th-of-july-nauvoo-style.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "15-Minute Miracle" by Kim Thompson</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Author Ernest Hemingway wrote, "<span style="font-style: italic;">Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is</span>."<br /><br /></div>A lot of us who scrapbook are Mothers with young children still at home. This equates to a desperate shortage of time and energy. Of course, most of us also started scrapbooking to preserve the memories of those same children who are draining all of our time and energy. Although it would be ideal, most of us don't have hours to devote to our scrapbooking hobby every day. But, can you find 15 minutes? <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>The following is a list of necessary scrapbooking tasks that can be accomplished when you just have a snippet of time: -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/07/15-minute-miracles.html">Read More</a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Patty Kubeja Writes From Iraq on July 4th" by Liz Adair</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RE4JwAtQoaseCChvQvSxcdYzFdzTUr9OV9lb-WRgE9qjkBC330UgIhDX6XJfmnmtHzILgxU0-NWjREziOkYjj3ZVYDkp8mEBcwzzrx5AsFNbwtXlr18msgYaXi-qFPZGWFf6lG8MUyI/s1600-h/Patty.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RE4JwAtQoaseCChvQvSxcdYzFdzTUr9OV9lb-WRgE9qjkBC330UgIhDX6XJfmnmtHzILgxU0-NWjREziOkYjj3ZVYDkp8mEBcwzzrx5AsFNbwtXlr18msgYaXi-qFPZGWFf6lG8MUyI/s400/Patty.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219725797168067778" border="0" /></a>My guest blogger today is Patty Kubeja. Last Fourth of July she was Relief Society President in Kent, WA. This Fourth she's in Iraq on a year's deployment, leaving behind a husband and their blended four children living in their newly-built family home.<br /><br />Patty says: It is already the 4th of July here, and my morning is just starting...that of course includes talking to my honey. I have a hand-head phone so I can multi task--talk and type. It was worth the $100 so I don't get a kink in my neck. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/07/yourldsneighborhood-service-patty.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Bowling, Not Yardwork" by Steve Christensen</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Summertime has finally arrived. This is most kid’s favorite time of year. No school. The days are longer and hotter. They can go to the pool, sleep in, play with their friends. For most men this is not our favorite time of year. Football has ended, the NBA Finals are wrapping up, there is yard work to do, and the kids are driving their Mom crazy so we husbands have to find creative ways to make them feel better, (like actually listening). What is a man to do during the summer to avoid losing his mind?<br /><br />Football and Basketball may be over, but the one sport that will continue all year long and comes on every Saturday afternoon is……Bowling. Okay, I don’t know for sure if it still comes on every Saturday afternoon or not, but I do remember as a 10 year old kid watching this “sport” on late Saturday afternoons when my chores and yard work were done and it was too hot to go outside. -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/07/bowling-not-yard-work.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "Magical Movie Moments: Neverwas" by Linda Scanlan</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Neverwas is a movie that I believe has passed unnoticed by the public...a sleeper as it were. Released in 2006 this movie is "<span style="font-style: italic;">For everyone who wishes Narnia and Oz were real places. Though children everywhere read about the land of Neverwas, it only exists in the imaginations of the young and the book's author (Nick Nolte). But when the writer's son, a psychiatrist (Aaron Eckahart), begins to look into his father's life, he realizes that Neverwas may be more real than he thought. While working at an institution where his father lived, he discovers a man (IAN MCKELLEN) whose ramblings paint a picture of the fantasy world. Fantasy and reality collide in NEVERWAS, also starring Brittany Murphy and Academy Award winners Jessica Lange and William Hurt</span>." (<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/NEVERWAS-NEW-DVD-NICK-NOLTE-NEVER-WAS_W0QQitemZ220252980311QQihZ012QQcategoryZ617QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem">Source</a>)<br /><br />Zach (Aaron Eckahart) is a psychiatrist who has his own issues. In the institution he is working for, he comes across Gabriel (Ian McKellen) who won't talk with anyone. Zach is able to talk with him only because he is his father's son. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/07/magical-movie-moments-neverwas.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. <strong>Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods®</strong> (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), <strong>cruises</strong>, and more. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-46520185701108879022008-07-04T06:00:00.002-06:002008-07-05T20:02:38.953-06:00On the Newsstands July 3, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "The Colors of Patriotism" by Gaynell Parker</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rvL_eTwpP03fhuj1WD8oBCM9EwI2oLhCm-E7XKq0TUvl3g6vhp7Qdut9WjDeNqYIlXk8EPssv8SEpUV0Gtp8uYarqqALhWk1bmzD8nEkp0UfQSBBdGQxDnQYsZzHd0Yc8hNxpC7JjrY/s1600-h/flag-eagle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rvL_eTwpP03fhuj1WD8oBCM9EwI2oLhCm-E7XKq0TUvl3g6vhp7Qdut9WjDeNqYIlXk8EPssv8SEpUV0Gtp8uYarqqALhWk1bmzD8nEkp0UfQSBBdGQxDnQYsZzHd0Yc8hNxpC7JjrY/s400/flag-eagle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219706891010812610" border="0" /></a>Since Friday is the 4th, I decided we need to focus a little on patriotism and how we show our colors.<br /><br />If you're anything like me, you're very patriotic. I love decorating the house in red, white and blue! Our next expense is going to be putting in a flag pole so that we can fly the flag while our son is gone to basic training.<br /><br />But even before we afford that, we hang all the stuff we can find up. What about you? There is some that is tasteful, and there is stuff that is -- well, tacky. While I guess it could be said that tacky is still patriotic, I think it needs to be thought out a little. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/06/colors-of-patriotism.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "The First Year by Crystal Liechty" by Alison Palmer</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6CqIdPNl1auYwy-0K0aIvAxON2Gyy6pZIKIpc3XDf-zSEivVBhjGclc0PN9o3DSM7sWgEtPfMiJw5fglMEk_P4gPs4yr-9tKffgQNUt_ssNs-m6e0XMcJ5SHlTKTzZt6vcZw9yBj3WI/s1600-h/firstyear.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 155px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6CqIdPNl1auYwy-0K0aIvAxON2Gyy6pZIKIpc3XDf-zSEivVBhjGclc0PN9o3DSM7sWgEtPfMiJw5fglMEk_P4gPs4yr-9tKffgQNUt_ssNs-m6e0XMcJ5SHlTKTzZt6vcZw9yBj3WI/s400/firstyear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219707927892111682" border="0" /></a>Okay, first I have to say that I love the cover of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FFirst-Year-Crystal-Liechty%2Fdp%2F1555179827%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1214424699%26sr%3D1-12&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3EThe%20First%20Year%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">The First Year</a> by <a href="http://www.crystalinwonderland.com/">Crystal Liechty</a>.<span style=""> </span>If for no other reason, I would have bought this book just to have a copy of that picture.<span style=""> </span>It’s just very cute.<span style=""> </span>Oh, and the story isn’t half bad either.<br /><br />How many of us can relate to those little nagging feelings that crop up every once in a while saying, “Oh man! Why did I ever marry this guy?”<br /><br />Fortunately for most of us, these moments are gradually replaced with more moments when we say, “Wow, what an awesome guy I married!”<span style=""> </span>That’s what marriage is all about—learning about each other and how to work together to make you spouse and family the best they can be.<span style=""> </span>Love is a gradual process over years of wanting that love to grow.<span style=""> </span>That’s the message of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FFirst-Year-Crystal-Liechty%2Fdp%2F1555179827%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1214424699%26sr%3D1-12&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3EThe%20First%20Year%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;">The First Year</a>. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/06/first-year-by-crystal-liechty.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "Our Choices: Positive or Negative" by Muriel Sluyter</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Americans spend their time, energy, and freedoms in many ways. The possibilities are endless. A young man can help an old lady cross a street, or knock her down and steal her purse. He can wear a t-shirt that says "Jesus Loves You," guaranteeing a trip to the principal’s office, courtesy of ACLU lawsuits. Or he can wear a shirt that says, "Bush Is A Terrorist," which the ACLU will vehemently defend as free speech.<br /><br />He can go to the polls and vote his conscience, or plan to "shut this city down!" when other people gather to do the same. He can go to college and earn an honest degree, or binge drink, march in protests, and cheat his way through college. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/07/our-choices-positive-or-negative.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Get Flash on the 4th" by Nichole Giles</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />When I was a kid, I loved doing fireworks around Independence Day. Now that I’m an adult, well, fireworks are still a lot of fun. With advances in technology—or whatever you call the chemicals that make things glow—today’s kids have a lot more fun options for flashing fun celebrations.<br /><br />Take, for example, light-flashing jewelry. It comes in almost every form you can think of, from sticks to earrings, necklaces, bracelets, pins…last year, I even got a light-flashing-refillable drink mug with an on and off switch. (By the way, that mug is my still my favorite. The batteries are even replaceable!) -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/06/get-flashy-on-fourth.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Lavendar: It's Not Just a Sweet Smell" by Heather Justesen</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgC48H6D3rAVIUghIdMmtHeMCy5LZWhQvwnCvey4F02JR0PTskm1oafrZKT9B1ftv6ss78eakZywO-l3UKcmKB9YVtaL2SdXQV44_6JHFJoOOlTOu93P5yLPOtsyEPFe32AuIcza2Zxo/s1600-h/lavender.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgC48H6D3rAVIUghIdMmtHeMCy5LZWhQvwnCvey4F02JR0PTskm1oafrZKT9B1ftv6ss78eakZywO-l3UKcmKB9YVtaL2SdXQV44_6JHFJoOOlTOu93P5yLPOtsyEPFe32AuIcza2Zxo/s400/lavender.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219709317623382306" border="0" /></a>Every summer my family takes a trip to <st1:placename st="on">Bear</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Lake</st1:placetype> on the Utah/Idaho border shortly after the Fourth of July, and we drive past a lavender farm about half an hour south of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Provo</st1:place></st1:city>. If I look out to my left, I see acre after acre of fragrant purple fields. </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> It’s that time of year again, and lavender plants are popping into bloom. Mine have begun their annual show and I’m making plans for those tiny purple flowers.<br /><br />Lavender is a woody perennial that will grow in almost any kind of soil, as long as it is drains well, and it can handle anything from high-moisture areas to Xeriscaping. It prefers full sun and though one source I read said it only handles temperatures to about 0 F or -15 C, It grows fine in my area, where it often gets below zero for part of the winter. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/06/lavender-its-not-just-sweet-smell.html">Read More</a><br /><br />LDS Department Store/Preparedness: <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Flea Markets and Personal Preparedness" by Barbara Salsbury</span></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />You've got to be kidding! Do you think you read the title right? Flea markets associated with home storage, let alone <em>food storage?</em><br /><br />Well of all people I love a good flea market. In fact I <em>really</em> love a really good flea market, the kind I could find every Saturday morining when we lived in the Bay Area in California. This means the thrill of the hunt is a number one priority for me. I am a bargain hunter's bargain hunter! When I find a super deal I have learned how to control my exuberance - until I get to the end of the aisle and then the victory dance is a non-describable display. Unless someone is there who knows me and then the automatic comment is, "There goes Barbara again". -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/06/flea-markets-and-personal-preparedness.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven:"Independent Thinking" by Keith Fisher</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Mwu8BwqhBVQlYMTY7o2JrKe8YXDby1-YOL7QtPZAgc8Q8HwnB2m_0jqUCjrVDrvkPYLN-M3eticyXrMOOUVY6ggfkNiulsxfjRDkgJSkTKOfac752vZB_ZmyEm5tQV1AntjWSLifs0A/s1600-h/bigtoothpatriot.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Mwu8BwqhBVQlYMTY7o2JrKe8YXDby1-YOL7QtPZAgc8Q8HwnB2m_0jqUCjrVDrvkPYLN-M3eticyXrMOOUVY6ggfkNiulsxfjRDkgJSkTKOfac752vZB_ZmyEm5tQV1AntjWSLifs0A/s400/bigtoothpatriot.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219710565321334898" border="0" /></a> Big doings are planned in most families this weekend. It’s Independence Day, and the Fisher clan is going camping. Yes, I’ll bring my Dutch ovens, and yes I’ll be cooking for the masses. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Since we started celebrating the birth of our country, many traditions have crept into our culture. Not the least of these, is mans desire to cook and eat outdoors. There’s just something about stepping outside, firing up the grill, and burning something beyond recognition. Ah yes, the taste of charcoal in the afternoon. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/06/independent-thinking.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "A Muse-ing" by C.L. Beck</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In mythology, there are only she-muses. That’s not too bad for the women of the world, but I’m sorry to tell you this, guys—it looks like you’re stuck with a gal for your inspiration. Probably a gal who primps, colors her hair and wears <a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/412674/how_to_get_nail_polish_out_of_your.html?cat=69">fingernail polish</a> named “Who Needs a Prince?”<br /><br />Even though there are no he-muses mentioned in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythology">mythology</a>, I’m certain they exist. They appear right after inspiration strikes and before the writer/artist/musician has a chance to even get one word, drawing, or musical note down on paper. The he-muses are the cause for delayed manuscripts, funky artwork, and music that falls flat in all the wrong places. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/06/muse-ing-by-cl-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "Church Service Missions" by Rebecca Talley</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><em>"For those [youth honorably excused from full-time missionary labors] . . . , bishops may . . . identify appropriate local opportunities for Church or community service for a specified period of time (usually 6 to 24 months)."</em> <strong>First Presidency letter, Jan. 30, 2004</strong><br /><br />For one reason or another, some young men or young women who desire to serve a mission may not be able to serve a full-time mission. For these young people, or others with a desire to serve, Church-Service missions give them the opportunity to serve without the complications of leaving home. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/church-service-missions.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Hidden Treasures" by Cheri Crane</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4j8WOwgAPem7jIVhZs2-UFcs2fFR9N3qBN5Aq-2gVb6yAROiga9YEMy3VNdFnbpPzpOa5e6-nXa2fw8-09gA1D3mAZgauIpyGhn6h7eULrJjeUjEW8zQTnR9SQovSglXkS2r1HVF7pQ/s1600-h/river.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4j8WOwgAPem7jIVhZs2-UFcs2fFR9N3qBN5Aq-2gVb6yAROiga9YEMy3VNdFnbpPzpOa5e6-nXa2fw8-09gA1D3mAZgauIpyGhn6h7eULrJjeUjEW8zQTnR9SQovSglXkS2r1HVF7pQ/s400/river.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219712279297645282" border="0" /></a>One of my favorite things to do when I'm traveling is to look for hidden treasures. I like to explore and take lots of pictures. In fact, 98% of the pictures that I share on this blog are shots I've taken with my trusty digital camera.<br /><br />Today I thought I'd share some of the treasures I've found recently while exploring. The picture you see above is of Dry Creek, located just south of Afton, Wyoming. My husband and I drove over Saturday night and this canyon caught my eye. My mother grew up in Star Valley, so this area has always seemed like home. I'm familiar with a lot of the region, but I had never been near this particular canyon, so we drove down Dry Creek Road for a look around. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/06/hidden-treasures.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "A Shot in the Dark" by Kim Thompson</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMpOx8zsy7qbqu7ShE7PAq68MCtUSqt32hiss5Mt01wFv5hjILii8DGblFqzDknbAj3J-ITeSDdOcPt9QFDCQZCNwacHZ7_n6KSCXEhtPp703ljmOpI_udUNYeH4iePqGAJ5WqIGy7K8/s1600-h/fireworks-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMpOx8zsy7qbqu7ShE7PAq68MCtUSqt32hiss5Mt01wFv5hjILii8DGblFqzDknbAj3J-ITeSDdOcPt9QFDCQZCNwacHZ7_n6KSCXEhtPp703ljmOpI_udUNYeH4iePqGAJ5WqIGy7K8/s400/fireworks-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219712987409788690" border="0" /></a>The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays to scrapbook. All those fun red, white, and blue stickers, and stars and stripes papers make me feel patriotic. I also love dressing my kids up in red, white, and blue so they look festive and match the scrapbook pages.<br /><br />Have you ever considered trying to capture pictures of the fireworks for your scrapbook? They make awesome pictures, but can sometimes be hard to photograph.<br /><br />One of the most important things to remember is to choose a good location. Make sure you have a clear view of the fireworks. And also make sure you know which way the wind is blowing. . . -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/06/shot-in-dark.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Stephanie Abney introduce you to Carol Otis Hurst" by Liz Adair</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />My guest blogger today is Stephanie Abney. She posted this introduction to Carol Hurst on the ANWA Founder and Friends web site, and I asked for permission to copy that posting here. She gave it to me, so here goes:<br /><br />Stephanie says: I’d like to share a ‘gold mine’ with you… a wealth of information. If you have kids, or grandkids, or love kids (whether or not they’re yours) or if you love books, then you definitely need to know about Carol Otis Hurst. And if you happen to love kids’ books then it is imperative you know about Carol. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/06/yourldsneighborhood-service-stephanie.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Happy 4th of July" by Rachelle Christensen</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Independence Day is the holiday which I equate most with recreation. Everything about this holiday rotates around celebrating outdoors.<br /><br />I grew up in a small farming community and it was always tradition to get up early and go to the flag-raising ceremony. I loved singing the patriotic songs and as I grew older and learned more of the significance of our flag and our freedom, I enjoyed it even more. Watching those red and white stripes rise high into the clear blue sky brought a surge of pride and joy to my heart. I still feel so lucky and blessed to live in the land of the free, the home of the brave. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/happy-4th-of-july.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "New Television Series" by Linda Scanlan</span><br /></div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The summer television season is about to begin. There are new shows appearing, like "<em>In Plain Sight".</em> Some will not reappear, like "<em>New Amsterdam</em>". And some are returning favorites, like "<em>Monk</em>".<br /><br />Television can be our friend if we control it and not be controlled by the television choices. We choose what will watched and what won't be watched. "<em>Monk</em> and "<em>Psyche</em>" continue to be a favorite <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Friday</span> night viewing on USA for our household. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-television-season.html">Read More</a><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. <strong>Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods®</strong> (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), <strong>cruises</strong>, and more. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-12018129143652250872008-07-01T06:00:00.005-06:002008-07-01T06:00:01.155-06:00On the Newsstands June 30, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "The Beauty Inside" by Gaynell Parker</span><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"> In the world of an artist, things are not what most people would see.<br /><br />Every moment I'm outside in my yard taking in the greens, the trees, the bushes, I'm captivated by all I see. The sound of birds constantly chirping, the breeze rustling through the pine and willow trees; it causes my soul to take a deep breath and for a moment I'm glad to be alive.<br /><br />When life's stresses fill your world so that things look gray and bleak, it's a time for reflection and gathering of the beauty around you. I've had a kind of bad week, so I've been on an emotional roller coaster. Today I sat with my son and we ate Popsicles together in the back yard, rocking gently on our big porch swing. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/06/beauty-inside.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Can’t Wait to G</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=270954641501389723">Blogger: yourLDSNeighborhood Newsstand - Create Post</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">et to Heaven by Fannie Flag" by Alison Palmer</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I’m taking a break from LDS titles today to share a rare gem I found.<span style=""> </span>I hardly ever pick up titles off of the adult fiction section of the library, I blush far too easily.<span style=""> </span>So that’s why this book really surprised and pleased me.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FCant-Wait-Get-Heaven-Ballantine%2Fdp%2F0345494881%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1214423633%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3ECan%27t%20Wait%20to%20Get%20to%20Heaven%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1">Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven</a>, written by Fannie Flagg of Fried Green Tomatoes fame is just a fun, feel good story.<span style=""> </span>The title caught my eye and I didn’t realize that it was actually part of a series until I went to look up its information for this blog.<span style=""> </span>I never suspected or felt cheated while reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FCant-Wait-Get-Heaven-Ballantine%2Fdp%2F0345494881%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1214423633%26sr%3D1-1&tag=tangwordanddr-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325%22%3ECan%27t%20Wait%20to%20Get%20to%20Heaven%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=tangwordanddr-20&l=ur2&o=1">Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven</a> because I hadn’t read the other volumes.<span style=""> </span>I just got caught up in the story and let it sweep me away.<span style=""> </span>Now that I know I can re-visit the characters in other volumes they’ve definitely been added to my “to-read” list. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/06/cant-wait-to-get-to-heaven-by-fannie.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "Life is Never Fair" by Muriel Sluyter</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />This earth life will never mete out much fairness, so things work out better if we just stop whining and go to work. Each of us will get a raw deal from time to time, as does every other person on this planet. Whiners not only make themselves miserable, but everyone who has to live around them.<br /><br />Heavenly Father has put us on a fallen planet. He would not have done that to us, unless He knew it would be good for us. When we whimper and whine, complain and bellyache, we are telling Him that He just does not measure up to our idea of a loving father. We want smooth sailing, and He has given us storms and wild tempests. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/06/life-is-never-fair.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Renaissance Romance" by Nichole Giles</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Since the Byzantine style of jewelry was basically an imitation of early Roman jewelry, we’re going to skip over that period and area and move onto the Renaissance.<br /><br />Even the word Renaissance sounds interesting to me. I imagine myself dressing every morning in bustles and corsets and…okay, they sound terribly uncomfortable. Still, the whole idea of the time period—of knights and squires and women in long, full dresses—is romantic to me. It was the time of Shakespeare, and Marlow, and so many other classic works of literature. And the culture was one of extremes. Extreme society, extreme suppression, extreme opinions. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/06/renaissance-romance.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Trees: The Backbone of Your Yard" by Heather Justesen</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Once you have a general landscaping plan in place and know where you want to put trees and garden beds, you still have to pick out specific plants. Trees are the backbone to any landscape. They add interest, provide welcome shade in the heat of summer, can help you keep your house cool if positioned properly, and can add spring and/or fall color.<br /><br /></div><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09Qw91HFvsoS5iITU2WCtYFQmArAKGod074H0ksGF9xzUvt71Bax38ojnlRGhrUz2q8G0slRVdv3a44h3qyvA-cGr73fakbT5JW8aIcFg7nKy4u3LR_DsUZryFDZaNn7RYmPWfvswMGm8/s1600-h/ever+green.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09Qw91HFvsoS5iITU2WCtYFQmArAKGod074H0ksGF9xzUvt71Bax38ojnlRGhrUz2q8G0slRVdv3a44h3qyvA-cGr73fakbT5JW8aIcFg7nKy4u3LR_DsUZryFDZaNn7RYmPWfvswMGm8/s400/ever+green.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216561912131370322" border="0" /></a>The evergreen is in a class of it's own, but the options range from ground- hugging shrubs to hundred-foot giants, from haphazard arrangements with branches sticking out every which way, to plants compact enough to make topiaries out of--or at least with the ability to be shaped. The obvious advantage to the evergreen is the fact that it is . . . always green, but don't just run out and buy the first thing you see. I visited several places that sold trees before I found one with one that would be the shape I wanted, with the color and type of needles, and that wouldn't grow so large that I would eventually have to cut it down because of space. As I mentioned, many evergreens grow to be real giants, and though that little tree may look lovely for the next few years, choosing wrong can mean a major hassle later to have it removed.<br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "Where Have You Buried Your Kit" by Barbara Salsbury</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Perhaps you, like a lot of other people lately, have had a renewed interest in having or obtaining a 72-hour kit.<br /><br />First may I remind you that you must keep in mind that that kit may have to provide for you a lot longer than 72-hours.<br /><br />There is one point about evacuation kits that sometimes gets buried or pushed aside once the kit supplies are gathered together and you think that all is well. Your kit is useless unless you can get to it! Make sure you can get to your kits at all times!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "Making a Molehill Out of a Dutch Oven" by Keith Fisher</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In all the classes, demos, and cook offs I’ve done over the years, one of the questions I always receive is, "How do I clean a Dutch oven?" The question came up again this week, so I decided to answer the question here. <p>I told the inquirer that cleaning a Dutch oven is quick and easy, but she didn’t agree. </p> <p>In every Dutch oven event, you will find a group of hard-liners that will tell you never to use soap on a Dutch oven. There are others who invert the cast iron over a campfire and burn out the remains of a meal. I have a friend who listened to all the advice on the subject, shook his head, and tossed his Dutch oven in the dishwasher. I’ve also seen another, more experienced cook use a big tub of soapy water to clean hers. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/06/making-molehill-out-of-mountain.html">Read More</a><br /></p><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Moan Day" by C.L. Beck</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Monday is misnamed. It should be called Moan-day. Why? Because if anything’s going to go wrong, you can bet it’ll happen on that day.<br /><br />On this particular Moan-day, it all started with <a href="http://www.utahweed.org/alert.htm">gargantuan weeds</a> in the driveway, near our front sidewalk. I dusted the cobwebs off the old weed-eater, pleaded with it to start and begged it to run long enough to whack everything ... including the grass in the rose bed.<br /><br />It started. Thirty seconds later, the line disappeared. I spent 45 minutes—with the hot sun beating on my head and sweat dripping down my neck—trying to figure out how to pop the spool out to put in new line. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/06/moan-day-by-cl-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "Opportunities for Couples" by Rebecca Talley</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><strong style="font-weight: normal; font-style: italic;">"Along with the need for young elders and sisters, there is a growing need for couples in the mission field. Older married couples are doing a wonderful work in the missions. Many more are needed. . . . With an increasing number of people retiring while they are still possessed of health and vitality, there are many who can fill a tremendous need in the work of the Lord." -- President Gordon B. Hinckley</strong><br /><br />The Church is in need of couple missionaries. While the minimum age for serving a mission as a couple is 40, there is no maximum age as long as both the husband and the wife are in good health and can financially afford a mission. Many couples in their seventies are successfully serving missions. Couples who desire to serve missions may not have any dependent children at home and are not allowed to bring pets. If a couple has the responsibility to care for aging parents, they will need to make arrangements for the care of their parents while they are away. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/missionary-opportunities-for-couples.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "The Long and Winding Road" by Cheri Crane</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />For some reason the Beatles' hit, The Long and Winding Road, keeps going through my head this afternoon. The lyrics are as follows:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The long and winding road</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">That leads to your door</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Will never disappear</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I've seen that road before</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It always leads me here</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lead me to your door.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The wild and windy night</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">That the rain washed away</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Has left a pool of tears</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Crying for the day.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Why leave me standing here?</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Let me know the way.</span><br /></div><br />-- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/06/long-and-winding-road.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "Handmade Cards for all Occasions" by Kim Thompson</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I think it's sad that because of advanced technology, the handwritten word, has pretty much gone by the wayside. Because of email it is rare to receive a handwritten letter in the mail anymore. You can even send greeting cards by email now.<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinajDnbXwAVacxJCOgCNdMCpWlzCfTRyk4im_ol8cobS9VdRwnfiTXzSlfPMaCLyPCVfiElsEmqMQPLTYG7B4wRRAfTRjw5vFIXSnSQLZEYAHMrDIA_OC07-k1Oo6SEXdtqabSZNhvqxE/s1600-h/candlesSM_444549.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216703058132816402" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinajDnbXwAVacxJCOgCNdMCpWlzCfTRyk4im_ol8cobS9VdRwnfiTXzSlfPMaCLyPCVfiElsEmqMQPLTYG7B4wRRAfTRjw5vFIXSnSQLZEYAHMrDIA_OC07-k1Oo6SEXdtqabSZNhvqxE/s200/candlesSM_444549.jpg" border="0" /></a>There is something sentimental about receiving a letter or card that has the personal touch of being handwritten. One of my favorite things to do with my scrapbooking supplies is to make handmade cards. I suppose, because it's something creative I can do without having to take a lot of time.<br /><br />I've included a few simple instructions and ideas below (along with lots of sample pictures) to get you started creating cards of your own: -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/06/handmade-cards-for-all-occasions.html">Read More</a><br /></div></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Leprosy Bandages" by Liz Adair</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I have been a maker of leprosy bandages for many years. I first heard about them decades ago when they were on the list of things you could do for humanitarian service. Knitted or crocheted, leprosy bandages are like a cross between an ace bandage and gauze, about three inches wide and four feet long. They are breathable and let air in, but are sturdy enough to be washed, sterilized, and used again. Also, they have more bulk than gauze and so cushion a stump so the afflicted member can still be used. You can see a leprosy bandage by clicking here. You can also read about a group who deliver them to a leper colony in Viet Nam. The LDS Humanitarian department also still accepts leprosy bandages, although they’re not listed on their web site as things that they need. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/06/yourldsneighborhood-service-leprosy.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Backyard Sports for Kids" by Rachelle Christensen</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUlG_i7_dNWdRB0pupMGEsi1tAPhUmodjsYSvcyTD-CHwCsZZej0-rgVHAE9nknYL3fv4okfsQN_nZMqxNKAHuzFOmTfyV1N_79SzxN8FhyTx3av1DdHMWWs3sois6nxaHUgb3Ce8RHI/s1600-h/backyardpool.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUlG_i7_dNWdRB0pupMGEsi1tAPhUmodjsYSvcyTD-CHwCsZZej0-rgVHAE9nknYL3fv4okfsQN_nZMqxNKAHuzFOmTfyV1N_79SzxN8FhyTx3av1DdHMWWs3sois6nxaHUgb3Ce8RHI/s400/backyardpool.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217064080971791170" border="0" /></a>We’re entering the sweltering season of summer heat now and I wanted to share a few ideas to keep the kids entertained while beating the heat.<br /><br />It’s summer so kids want to be outside, even if it is 100 degrees. We bought a kiddie pool for our girls last year for about forty dollars and it has a little slide built into it. They love it and I laughed pretty hard when my 2 ½ year old went down the slide for the first time into the chilly water and sucked in her breath. You know that feeling when the cold water gets on your stomach—don’t you?<br /><br />That little pool has offered hours of great fun. It’s usually just for an hour at a time and we always make sure to slather the kids in sunscreen first. So I’ve already gone over what a great summer sport swimming is, what else is there to do? -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/backyard-sports-for-kids.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "10,000 BC" by Linda Scanlan</span> </div><hr style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In researching comments and facts about this movie, I found several negative comments. It would appear as if the majority of comment posters thought this movie was a waste of money.<br /><br />10,000 BC is "<span style="font-style: italic;">A prehistoric epic that follows a young mammoth hunter's journey through uncharted territory to secure the future of his tribe</span>." <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443649/">Source</a>. Most of the negative comments center around inaccuracies in the plot. Time line seems to be a favorite with the building of the pyramids. <br /><br />A movie is a movie is a movie. It is usually fictional which means anything goes. Okay, for movie buffs some of the things <span style="font-style: italic;">have</span> to line up, like time lines. A writers interpretation on a fictional film does not always have to be accurate. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/06/magical-movie-moments-10000-bc.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. <strong>Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods®</strong> (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), <strong>cruises</strong>, and more. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>.</p><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-17565270979892988272008-06-27T06:00:00.003-06:002008-06-28T15:14:14.259-06:00On the Newsstands June 26, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "Oil Isn't Just What's in the Ground" by Gaynell Parker</span><hr /><br />In a world that looks at oil prices as something related to cars, I thought I'd start talking about oil Paint. (grin.) You see, oil isn't just for cars, what's in your skin, or what you use to cook.<br /><br />Righhhhttt. I can just hear you... Oil paint is (in my opinion) the standard for art and paint. It's been the primary medium for centuries, and actually hasn't changed a great deal in all these years.<br /><br />Many of the great masters from the 1500's used oil paints for their work, and it's proven itself to be a medium that lasts, with proper care, for ages. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt">Rembrandt</a> is probably one of the most famous, and I'm always amazed at how he was able to use oil to create depth and feeling in a flat canvas. His painting of the Musketeers (the one pictured above -- sorry it's so small) is one of my favorites. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/06/oil-isnt-just-whats-in-ground.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Forged in the Refiner's Fire by Candace E. Salima & Elizabeth A. Cheever" by Alison Palmer</span><hr /><br />What is your greatest challenge? What is the hidden sorrow that brings tears to your eyes every time you try to express your worries and concerns to your Heavenly Father?<br /><br />No matter what trial, station, or stage of life you may be in Forged in the Refiner’s Fire can offer a source of understanding, hope, and comfort. Co-authored by Elizabeth A. Cheever and Candace E. Salima, Forged in the Refiner’s Fire is a collection of true stories. On every page and in every chapter you will read of real people with a variety of very real problems who have learned to rely on the Lord and come out stronger than they were before. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/06/forged-in-refiners-fire-by-elizabeth.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "Let's Kick Back and Have Some Fun" by Muriel Sluyter</span><hr /><br />This fake world of ours is run by plastic people, who want our money... all of it. To accomplish this, they must convince us that products that have no real value are indispensable. They have to create discontent within us. They must convince us that we are too fat, too thin, smell bad, wear unfashionable clothes, aren't sexy enough, etc. Creating dissatisfaction opens our wallets. Let's watch them in action.<br /><br />When I turn the TV on, chances are that I will see someone pumping iron or running. (He may be unable to tell right from wrong, but my, oh my, does he look good!) Perhaps, he is working at one of those weird machines that exercises every part of the body. They are capable of finding and torturing muscles that didn't even exist when I was a kid. And, that's because a sadist invented those muscles the day I turned forty. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/06/lets-kick-back-and-have-some-fun.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Mythological Jewelry, Part 2" by Nichole Giles</span><hr /><br />My niece asked me earlier today how I landed this awesome job of blogging for the Neighborhood about something as fun as jewelry. “Well,” I told her, “the person in charge had the right connections and knew just who to ask.”<br /><br />Not that I’m saying I’m a jewelry expert. I’m not. Or, not in the sense that I have any training. I just happen to like it a whole lot, and makes me really happy. One of these days I’m going to start making it myself and creating fabulous pieces. But right now, I’m too busy writing—and researching the history of jewelry. I’m having a ball learning more about jewelry through the ages, and the impact it had on society. It’s fascinating. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/06/mythological-jewelry-part-ii.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Great Perennials" by Heather Justesen</span><hr /><br />I wanted to highlight three more of my favorite perennials this time. Most perennials bloom only for a few weeks each summer. These, however, are plants that put out gorgeous blooms for most of the summer, and come back more beautiful every year. All three of these dies back to the roots in the winter and grow new stems.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Salvia</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCRRtW1OeG31YAybdUrD8DMKB7tAP0kzbqyFA_-FDX5mQzIysNroGQFBDJkVRym6M39NqmnlOLEWHo3DR_9Lv63m4Dcs7HsMarXrO37xMMP8r8pq0cHMn4gpPsQ1wbWnTwYyY4WxCi7g6/s1600-h/salvia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCRRtW1OeG31YAybdUrD8DMKB7tAP0kzbqyFA_-FDX5mQzIysNroGQFBDJkVRym6M39NqmnlOLEWHo3DR_9Lv63m4Dcs7HsMarXrO37xMMP8r8pq0cHMn4gpPsQ1wbWnTwYyY4WxCi7g6/s400/salvia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215243852941717090" border="0" /></a>I bought these plants last spring in six-inch pots and they did reasonably well last summer. There are a number of varieties, and those familiar with the Latin names of plants will know that the herb sage is also in this family. I wouldn't try cooking with this beauty, though I intend to blog on flowers that people do commonly eat at some point down the road. Anyway, Salvia comes in all kinds of colors and shapes, from purples and blues, to reds, oranges and yellows. and there are plants that thrive in almost every zone. Mine started blooming early in May and will continue through the cool fall months. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/06/great-perennials.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "Roller Coasters and Chocolate" by Barbara Salsbury</span><hr /><br />First, before I mention chocolate, I need to tell those of you who have responded to my blogs, that there was a bug in the blog. Your comments went into cyber space on another planet. However, the blog bug has been fixed. So please talk to me again. I did not ignore you. The blog bug did.<br /><br />When it comes to defining a disaster or crisis it’s important to understand that what can be - and is - a crisis for you and your family might not affect anyone else in the same way. For example the trauma of losing the family’s income, having to do with less, no longer being able to participate in activities that friends are involved in, drastically altering your ability to do almost anything – simply because you can no longer afford it – can be a significant crisis to deal with. I’ll just call it a roller coaster ride. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/06/roller-coasters-and-chocolate.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "Getting It Off the Ground" by Keith Fisher</span><hr /><br />Back when our forefathers cooked in Dutch ovens, Chances are they cooked in a campfire on the ground. It was a back bending proposition and probably took longer than it should. Some folks still cook on the ground or in a hole. Today, I’d like to show you a better way. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">As a Boy Scout, I learned that if I lay my sleeping bag directly on the ground, most of my body heat is absorbed into the earth. If I use a tarp or piece of plastic under my sleeping bag, I sleep warmer at night. The same holds true for Dutch ovens on the ground. You might suggest that’s why we put coals on the bottom. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/06/getting-it-off-ground.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Error. Does Not Compute" by C.L. Beck</span><hr /><br />Despite a nostalgic bent for old-fashioned writer’s tools—the <a href="http://www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-make-a-quill-pen.htm">quill pen</a> always looked cute to me—I can’t seriously argue that any previous inventions were ever as handy as the computer.<br /><br />With a computer, a writer can whip out a story in no time, use grammar and spell check to improve the manuscript, and then delete any errors in the blink of an eye. It can be saved as a file on the hard drive, a CD or on a zip drive. Come flood, earthquake, or mud slide, multiple backups ensure all is not lost. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/06/error-does-not-compute-by-cl-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "Senior Missionaries" by Rebecca Talley</span><hr /><br />When we think about missionaries, we generally envision young men in suits and white shirts and young women in simple, modest clothing serving the Lord before they marry. To the world, our missionary force seems to be viewed as one of young people. However, many senior couple missionaries also serve.<br /><br />My mother-in-law served a mission with her husband in Boston, Massachusetts. They worked in the office and both of them enjoyed their time in the mission field immensely. A couple in my ward served a mission in Texas. They both speak fondly of the time they spent there, teaching people about the Book of Mormon. In fact, they shared a story about their mission just last week in Sunday School. Couples who choose to serve missions can provide valuable service to the Lord. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/senior-missionary-couples.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Lava Hot Springs" by Cheri Crane</span><hr /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4gzkBxCUK-lNqx7pHW25FefV-Ay6yvjhyphenhyphenYE6jEcN1TXb_prFGnzOl8Ku0tVcKekR7X0HQjn90mCtetC6w5wEM8JU7z8z70lmTDq_7NGBJRfP4SgCMHrzjdESKjOaritGbUDbXV6Kxgc/s1600-h/LavaHotSprings+Creek.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4gzkBxCUK-lNqx7pHW25FefV-Ay6yvjhyphenhyphenYE6jEcN1TXb_prFGnzOl8Ku0tVcKekR7X0HQjn90mCtetC6w5wEM8JU7z8z70lmTDq_7NGBJRfP4SgCMHrzjdESKjOaritGbUDbXV6Kxgc/s400/LavaHotSprings+Creek.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217039847575504210" border="0" /></a>We spent this past weekend at a wonderful place not too far from home---the famed Lava Hot Springs. This hot spot is located here in Southeastern Idaho. It is a popular resort where a myriad of fun activities await the weary traveler or the excited tourist.<br /><br />We arrived on Friday in preparation for yet another family reunion. About 3 months ago, I had made reservations at a place called CottonWood Campground. I had asked for a campsite in the trees and we weren't disappointed. The RV site we were assigned was wonderful. Not only was it in the shade of tall cottonwood trees, but it was next to the Portneuf River. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/06/lava-hot-springs.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "Where Do I Start?" by Kim Thompson</span><hr /><br />Have you always wanted to scrapbook, but don’t know where to start? Do the rows and rows of stickers, embellishments, adhesives, and albums at your local craft store make you feel completely overwhelmed? Do you have piles and piles of pictures in no semblance of order?<br /><br />Don’t worry. You’re not alone.<br /><br />First, buy a large plastic container then go through your house and gather all of your photos and memorabilia into one place. Look in drawers, old photo albums, shoeboxes, picture frames, closets, files, the attic—wherever you tend to stash stuff. Then purchase archival quality photo boxes for all of your photos. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/06/scrapbooking-101-where-do-i-start.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "The Literary Council and I" by Liz Adair</span><hr /><br />I googled “Literacy Council” and counted more than 100 listings before I had to stop and begin writing this post. There are more; I just don’t know how many. It gives me goose bumps to see all those organizations of people dedicated to one thing: teaching people to read. Many councils have added the task of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to the services they offer, and that was what I did when I was a volunteer with the Whatcom Literacy Council in Northwest Washington.<br /><br />Just as one of my children was hitting some rough waters navigating the shoals of middle school, I read in the paper that they were looking for people to help out. I felt that if that child focused on serving, it would make this stage of growing up a little easier, so I called the Literacy Council. I told them that I’d like to volunteer, that I had worked as a reading specialist in the public schools for several years, but that it was a package deal: my two children would work with me. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/06/i-googled-literacy-council-and-counted.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Sports Criminals" by Steve Christensen</span><hr /><br />In today’s sports world it is not uncommon to read a story weekly or even daily about an athlete that is in trouble with the law. We have all heard about the steroid use in Major League Baseball, drugs used in the summer and Winter Olympics, and all kinds of criminal activity in the NFL and NBA. This trend of behavior has got to slow down because at this rate, all the professional sports programs will be obsolete in 5 years because all of the athletes will be in jail or suspended from the sports programs.<br /><br />I enjoyed watching sports as a child. I remember the great players in basketball- Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Dr. J. I remember the awesome football players- Joe Montana, John Elway, Tony Dorset, Eric Dickerson, and the great Chicago Bear’s defense. I am not much of a baseball fan, but I do remember watching Reggie Jackson, Roger Clemens, and Pete Rose play. -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/06/sports-criminals.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "Passage to Zarahemla" by Linda Scanlan</span><hr /><br />If you're a fan of LDS movies, but enjoy the action of Sci-Fi then you will love "Passage to Zarahemla" The plot is based on a Twilight Zone experience when two time periods occupy the same space in Leeds, Utah.<br /><br />Kerra and Brock leave LA suddenly. Their mother has died, the gangs are after stolen merchandise, and the state wants to separate the kids into foster homes. What else could Kerra do except run to the only family members she remembers? Her father's kin. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/06/magical-movie-moments-passage-to.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. <strong>Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods®</strong> (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), <strong>cruises</strong>, and more. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-23290585757528263302008-06-24T06:00:00.001-06:002008-06-28T10:02:11.983-06:00On the Newsstands June 23, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "Art in the City" by Gaynell Parker</span><br /><br />Summer time is a great time to experience the arts. Not only are there many opportunities at the local fairs and festivals and farmers markets, but there is also the big daddy of them all, the <a href="http://www.uaf.org/">Utah Arts Festival</a>.<br /><br />This has gotten very large over the years, from the small thing it was in the early 1980's to now. This year one of my fellow writers and talented artist is doing a demo there with her group of painters. <a href="http://www.paintedsage.com/page3.html">Hazel Jensen</a> will be demoing oil painting. She does great work, so you should go and check her out. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/06/art-in-city.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Counting Blessings by Kerry Blair" by Alison Palmer</span><br /><br />Several months ago I learned a beautiful lesson from one of the sweetest people I am privileged to know. She taught me about problems and elephants. Yes, that seems like a strange combination but when she explained it, it worked. I learned that problems can be just like elephants: it’s all in the perspective. Even the smallest elephant, held in front of your eyes can become huge and block out everything else around it. Big elephants cause the same problem. Every problem needs to be part of a bigger perspective. If all we ever look at is our elephant, then we miss out on everything else in our lives and in the lives of those we care about. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/06/counting-blessings-by-kerry-blair.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home & Family: "Kids Will be Kids" by Muriel Sluyter</span><br /><br />Recently, we had a fascinating experience at our house, or, to be more precise, in our barn. I had gone to the barn to do morning chores when, to my surprise, I discovered that someone had been there during the night.<br /><br />The signs were everywhere. The fascinating part of this hilarious episode was the criminal's apparent goal, which seems to have been to feed a baby animal (an orphan?) some goat's milk. Now, it is true that goat's milk has saved many an orphan, but it is unusual for the young critter to be brought to the goat in the middle of the night, without the owner's knowledge. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/06/kids-will-be-kids.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Mythological Jewelry" by Nichole Giles</span><br /><br />Because my current novel project involves a little Greek and Roman mythology, I’ve had to do research into the history of Greece and Rome. The ironic thing is that research for my novel is leading me toward wonderful information for my jewelry blogs, and vice versa. Interesting, huh? But really, really fun.<br /><br />On to the Greek influence.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AxhBPV3pwvsHlEWwDX65TXVPPM8wDDs_1op61zOuURXCea6A_cfHtiFfDMpbHOxDdomYuzv28uK3jtpmegDZQio7s4ZpJWKWUzrMyKFvnsabGIYzbk2hOs2aXVAMHl_UfK4SXCHQmDPo/s1600-h/180px-Earring_Mycenae_Louvre_Bj135.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214580609152338050" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AxhBPV3pwvsHlEWwDX65TXVPPM8wDDs_1op61zOuURXCea6A_cfHtiFfDMpbHOxDdomYuzv28uK3jtpmegDZQio7s4ZpJWKWUzrMyKFvnsabGIYzbk2hOs2aXVAMHl_UfK4SXCHQmDPo/s200/180px-Earring_Mycenae_Louvre_Bj135.jpg" border="0" /></a>During the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C., Greek jewelry was often modeled after larger pieces of art—only made miniature—depicting religious, mythological, and heroic scenes. Often, jewelry was bound together with a certain kind of knot called the Hercules knot, because it was said to possess mystical and magical qualities. Craftsmen who specialized in working with gemstones and gold were producing exceptional works of art by incorporating overtones of contrast, harmony, clarity, unity, and rhythm in their work. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/06/mythological-jewelry.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Water-wise Planting" by Heather Justesen</span><br /><br />Just the word Xeriscaping brings visions of rocks and cactus to most people’s heads. They think of those poor desert dwellers whose city ordinances prevent them from growing ten square feet of grass and shudder, grateful it isn’t them.<o:p> </o:p><br /><br />Wikipedia says the word “refers to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_architecture" title="Landscape architecture"><span style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">landscaping</span></a> in ways that do not require supplemental <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrigation" title="Irrigation"><span style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">irrigation</span></a>.” And that “Plants whose natural requirements are appropriate to the local climate are emphasized, and care is taken to avoid losing water to evaporation and run-off.” The Greek translation for this term is ‘dry landscaping.’ -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/06/water-wise-planting.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "The Headline: Food for Thought and a Bonus" by Barbara Salsbury</span><br /><br />As the year progresses the headlines that cause fear, and the struggles with the economy are not going away All these things are affecting more and more of us, more and more. My son is on active duty. War and all of its horrors are in our own basket, as well as yours as we live in these times. The failing economy continues to wreak its toll on what used to be called our budgets.<br /><br />And so, I encourage you to do what you can, where you can, when you can. As an individual you or I cannot resolve the situations that are generating the fear from the headlines. Nor can we resolve situations in the city, state, or country. BUT, what we can do is resolve to do something, to create our own safe haven in attitude and action in our preparedness program. Even if you are in a small apartment there has to be one corner that you can set aside to hold a few things that will benefit you. If you can’t create a “safe room”, plan and create a comforting “safe corner.” -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/06/headlinesfood-for-thought-and-bonus.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "Snacking Around the Campfire" by Keith Fisher</span><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xTe50YA4ooR5ZyR_EwopuDbMxUj3QsiKB04ACsJISvC_V4DeMUS7CW3L6PLh3hCCzAzwyGoUYSs195HowN-gKbc1gRywLSYPejX0u6Vo0OgME-rRy4KIk76Z1CEJ9JF0Hic21ZpNTHA/s1600-h/popper-B1200.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214071400109800882" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 59px; height: 164px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xTe50YA4ooR5ZyR_EwopuDbMxUj3QsiKB04ACsJISvC_V4DeMUS7CW3L6PLh3hCCzAzwyGoUYSs195HowN-gKbc1gRywLSYPejX0u6Vo0OgME-rRy4KIk76Z1CEJ9JF0Hic21ZpNTHA/s200/popper-B1200.jpg" border="0" /></a> Have you ever sat with your family around a campfire? You ate supper hours ago, but you were hungry for something, You don’t know what? Digging through the camp kitchen might not be a good idea (especially if you’re not the cook). I may have a solution for you. </p><p>25-years ago, I used a tool that pleased a troop of boy scouts and brought me high praise. I’m not sure where the tool came from, and I haven’t seen it for years. I looked for a picture on the internet, and found this on an antiques website. It’s worth a little money now—I wish I’d kept tract of mine. As you can see from the picture, it’s a campfire popcorn popper. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/06/snacking-around-campfire.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Bats in my Belfry" by C.L. Beck</span><br /><br />One summer, I was sitting near the door that leads down to the furnace room, when I heard a “scritch, scritch”. Thinking it was Slippers, our cat, I ignored it and continued with my vastly important project of checking email.<br /><br />Pretty soon, “scritch, scritch, shuffle, shuffle” caught my attention again.<br /><br />“Slippers, I’m not getting up to let you out. Just sit in the dark and dream of mice.” -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/06/bats-in-my-belfry-by-cl-beck.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "More Mission Prep" by Rebecca Talley</span><br /><br />In an earlier post, I mentioned ways families can help young people prepare to serve missions. Suggestions included having regular Family Home Evenings, having consistent scripture study and prayers, setting an example of faithfulness, encouraging high-school age children to attend seminary, providing opportunities for children to gain and strengthen testimonies, and finding time to discuss the gospel.<br /><br />In addition to these, other areas in which parents can help future missionaries prepare include: -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/more-misson-prep.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "In the Good ol' Summertime" by Cheri Crane</span><br /><br />I think summer has finally arrived. Here in Bear Lake Valley, we feel like we've jumped straight from winter to summer. There was no spring to speak of. =) We endured a series of wintry storms during what should have been spring. But summer has arrived, and it is gorgeous. All of the moisture we received has contributed to the brilliant green color of the hills and surrounding farms. Flowers are blooming all over the place, wild and otherwise. And the flowering trees are beautiful. This is the first year that my row of lilacs has actually bloomed. I've been nursing them along for years---last year I had high hopes for them, but the blossoms froze. This year, not only did my lilacs bloom, but so did my flowering crab tree. This is a huge event in my life. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/06/in-good-ol-summertime.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "Memories of Dad" by Kim Thompson</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQeXm0cQPxzOb3n-qlVvR3bHsgjB1RU1rLdQlac-axCBmy0V7kGQBcROAKvL3IVFgaclcLKs9LluoIkJYerjMXZCrE-rPVBUiwpiaoRK17HUkb-ExM0raJoyPZ8i9oG-Q_p7ugwYJTTQ/s1600-h/birth_of_a_dad.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213942659425680578" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 207px; height: 209px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQeXm0cQPxzOb3n-qlVvR3bHsgjB1RU1rLdQlac-axCBmy0V7kGQBcROAKvL3IVFgaclcLKs9LluoIkJYerjMXZCrE-rPVBUiwpiaoRK17HUkb-ExM0raJoyPZ8i9oG-Q_p7ugwYJTTQ/s320/birth_of_a_dad.jpg" border="0" height="209" width="219" /></a> I realize I’m a week late with a post about Father’s, but I’ve been moving, so I’m allowed to be a week behind. Right?<br /><br />“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”<br />—Jim Valvano<br /><br />Valvano’s quote pretty much sums up my relationship with my dad. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I finally realized all the things he’d been telling me all along were really for my own good. He is the most patient, loving man I know and I count myself lucky to be his daughter. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/06/memories-of-dad.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Four Simple Gifts" by Liz Adair</span><br /><br />About ten years ago, with our last child perched and ready to fledge from the nest, we left the house we had lived in for 25 years and moved temporarily to a small town on the other side of the state. Same house for a quarter century = same ward family for that span. Oh, boundaries had changed and people had moved in and out, but we were old timers, elder statesmen. Everybody knew us. We had grown gray serving in that ward.<br /><br />Suddenly, we were in a new ward, and we found that with the new locality had come super powers. We were invisible. When we walked in the chapel the first Sunday, not a head turned our way. No hands were offered. No eye contact was made, even accidentally. It was as if we didn’t exist. I pinched my husband just to check, but though his buns are spare, I had hold of real flesh. We were still there, all right. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/06/yourldsneighborhood-service-four-simple.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Swimming: The Ultimate Summer Sport" by Rachelle Christensen</span><br /><br />I enjoy swimming. I don’t get to go as often as I used to but I enjoy it when I have the chance. I’m guessing that what defines people’s like or dislike of swimming is knowledge. If you know how to swim, you generally enjoy it.<br /><br />I grew up near the mammoth Snake River in Idaho. When I went to Utah State University for college and someone showed me the Logan River, I actually laughed out loud. “That’s not a river, that’s a creek!” I said. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/swimmingthe-ultimate-summer-sport.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "Return with Honor" by Linda Scanlan</span><br /><br />Isn't life funny in that what you so carefully plan out for yourself, seems rarely to happen the way it is planned. This summer was to have been a fast moving action filled summer scheduled with girls camp, art camp, family reunion, boating and fishing. All of that was for June. This schedule was planned as skillfully as choreography in a musical is planned.<br /><br />Enter one emergency surgery. Out the window goes the elegant meal planning for guest. No longer is the routine bulletin easily completed. Laundry becomes the stereo-typical mountainous chore that has depressed women from the beginning of time. Nothing is on schedule. The train has derailed and the station is no where in sight. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/06/lds-movie-return-with-honor.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. <strong>Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods®</strong> (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), <strong>cruises</strong>, and more. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-83326553206865549372008-06-20T06:00:00.007-06:002008-06-20T06:00:04.667-06:00On the Newsstands June 19, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: <span style="font-style: italic;">"I Stand All Amazed"</span> by Gaynell Parker</span><br /><br />Sometimes the words of that song come to me for different things. Usually, when I come across something that is astounding, and obviously touched by the spirit. I thought as part of my blogging for your entertainment and information, I would look up the list of <a href="http://famousmormons.net/artists.html">LDS Artists.</a><br /><br />What I found simply amazed me. There were people I'd never heard of before -- and I felt bad that I hadn't known of them. Several of them are watercolor artists, and I wanted to highlight them today, since we've been talking about that medium. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/06/i-stand-all-amazed.html">Read More</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Spires of Stone by Annette Lyon"</span> by Alison Palmer</span><br /></div><br />Are you a fan of Shakespeare? It seems he’s a guy you either love or gag at the thought of. Personally, I like the guy. He’s old school and can be cumbersome to read, but his writing is full of interesting tidbits.<br /><br />If you’re like me and have a soft spot for Shakespeare, you’ll love Annette Lyon’s latest book, Spires of Stone. This is the third book in Annette’s historical temple series. The first two, House on the Hill and At Journey’s End are good reads as well, but Spires of Stone is my personal favorite. Why? Yep, you guessed it: Shakespeare. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/06/spires-of-stone-by-annette-lyon.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home and Family: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Our Forefahers' Message to Us</span>" by Muriel Sluyter</span><br /><br />In the 1700's and early 1800's, liberty was on the minds of the world's truly great people. John Curran said, "T<span style="font-style: italic;">he condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt</span>." Those are strong words, but they are true, and they will never cease to be true.<br /><br />When Benjamin Franklin was asked, "What have you given us, Mister Franklin?" He replied, "<span style="font-style: italic;">A republic, Ma'am, if you can keep it</span>." He also said, "<span style="font-style: italic;">Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters</span>." Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher, said it perfectly: "<span style="font-style: italic;">The republican form of government is the highest form of government, but because of this it requires the highest type of human nature - a type nowhere at present existing</span>." -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/06/our-forefathers-messages-to-us.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry:<span style="font-style: italic;"> "Carnival Finds"</span> by Nichole Giles</span><br /><br />For those faithful readers who were waiting to hear about the Roman influence on the history of jewelry, I apologize. I’m afraid if I don’t touch on this subject now, while summer is just getting into swing, too many people will miss out on wonderful treasure finding opportunities.<br /><br />Last weekend was the Summerfest celebration in Orem. Not only is Orem very close to where I live, it is also where my husband works as a police officer. Since he was the watch commander during the parade and fireworks, of course we had to go. On Friday evening, during his off time, we took the kids to the carnival in the city park, taking time to wander around the craft booths and food stands. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/06/carnival-finds.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department/Gardening & Landscaping: "Hardscaping: Taking it on First" by Heather Justesen</span><br /><br />Today we’re going to talk about hardscaping. What is that? In a nutshell, hardscaping is any non-living portion of your landscape. This includes sidewalks and driveways, retaining walls, patios or decks, gravel paths, and any other undead, er, non-living components.<br /><br />In our yard I’m going to be installing gravel pathways between my flowers beds soon. Last summer I put down pieces of cardboard and covered them with the stump grindings the tree-removal company left behind at my parents’ house. It made for a charming walkway that kept me from getting too muddy when I moved the water around. The wood shavings are deteriorating now and returning to the soil, along with the cardboard, so I’m getting a lot of weeds and dirt starting to come through. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/06/hardscaping-taking-it-on-first.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "Make Sure the Stuff in your Cupboard is Edible" by Barbara Salsbury</span><br /><br />Make sure the “stuff” in your cupboards can be made edible – or it won’t do anyone any good!<br /><br />In this blog let’s discuss a few ideas that will pertain to the foods portion of your pantry. As you learn more about Preparedness Possibilities you may discover foods that perhaps you have heard of before but not thought about in a preparedness perspective. Or you may find foods that you had considered preparedness foods but not thought of in an every day perspective. That definitely does not mean that your foods should be limited to wheat, dry milk and honey. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/06/make-sure-stuff-in-your-cupboard-is.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlet/Dutch Oven: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Be a Hero in Your Camp"</span> by Keith Fisher</span><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrXrHtP87yEtWyaa4j1-Lz2LgMF8PnObC0v4dvDAwFUzZaGhszExmttb-BQ_ckENG1d8Av2GOAEc-nhyU8Qh48I1pHpTcqr5D4KcKGEB_4ws-jA6CgBNFyu7pWDujQqw0exvr83FJf0s/s1600-h/006_32.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212521323367946498" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrXrHtP87yEtWyaa4j1-Lz2LgMF8PnObC0v4dvDAwFUzZaGhszExmttb-BQ_ckENG1d8Av2GOAEc-nhyU8Qh48I1pHpTcqr5D4KcKGEB_4ws-jA6CgBNFyu7pWDujQqw0exvr83FJf0s/s200/006_32.JPG" border="0" /></a> There is a scene in the first few minutes of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Dove">Lonesome Dove </a>that wets my appetite. It opens with a shot of Gus sitting by a campfire in the front yard of the ranch. He opens the lid on a Dutch oven and checks the bread rolls he’s been baking. Finding them done, he takes the pot into the ranch house and sets it on the table. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> How would you like to eat hot rolls with melting butter on a camping trip? What if I promised strawberry jam? -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/06/be-hero-in-your-camp.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: <span style="font-style: italic;">"License Plate Frame Slogans"</span> by C.L. Beck</span><br /><br />Words are everywhere. Just look around and I think you’ll agree. For example, there are tee shirts with all kinds of sayings. In light of having reached the ripe old age of plenty-nine, one of my favorites is “I’d rather be over the hill than under it.” Appliances all have instructions on the boxes. Steam iron manufacturers now list the caution, “Do not use while wearing clothes.” I find that advice to be a little ambiguous. I can't decide if it means you should iron naked, or you shouldn’t iron the clothes while they’re on your body.<br /><br />The written word is in our mail, on our televisions (oh, yes, you know you’ve been reading that little ticker tape at the bottom of <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/">Fox News</a>), as well as imprinted on our sunglasses and license plates frames. Hey, it’s even in our underwear! For the moment, though, I’d like to ignore the underwear (not wearing it, just writing about it) and concentrate on the advice you see on the rear of vehicles. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/06/license-plate-frame-slogans-and-chance.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: <span style="font-style: italic;">"In the World" </span>by Rebecca Talley</span><br /><br />We have been counseled to be in the world, but not of the world. I’ve carefully considered this counsel over the years to determine what it means.<br /><br />The world is a scary place. It doesn’t take more than a few minutes of listening to the news to realize the evil and wickedness that surrounds us. Reports of murders and acts of violence are commonplace. Even more frightening, are the reports of school violence. When I was in high school, I’d never heard of any school shootings and now, it’s not uncommon to hear a report of another student bringing a gun to school and opening fire on other students. Even in our high school, a student was apprehended with a gun and my children were in a lockdown situation for a few hours. On that same day, my younger children were in a lockdown in our elementary school while a member of our community was in a standoff with the sheriff’s department. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/in-world.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Water Moments"</span> by Cheri Crane</span><br /><br />Is it me or has the stress factor in life increased several notches lately? Everyone I know seems to be enduring a plethora of challenges. Our family has been hit with a variety of unpleasant trials in recent months, including the untimely death of a loved one.<br /><br />Whenever I'm feeling a bit down, it helps to have what I call a "water moment." I find that I'm drawn to water. I'm not sure why, but water has always fascinated me. (No cheap shots about how easily entertained I seem to be.) -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/06/water-moments.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Digital Freebies"</span> by Kim Thompson</span><br /><br />I'm in the middle of moving and I’m going through withdrawals without internet access. I’m at my parents today using their SLOOOWWW . . . dial-up connection, so my blog today isn’t going to be long.<br /><br />With the advent of digital scrapbooking there are lots of places on the internet where you can get free digital layouts and products.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.digifree.blogspot.com/">Digifree</a> – The digital scrapbooking freebie search engine uses an automated system to search blogs for digital scrapbooking freebies and then posts them (with images) for all to see and download. What a great way to find free layouts and embellishments - no wonder this site is <a href="http://www.scrapbookingtop50.com.au/top50blogs/" target="_blank">Top 50 Scrapbooking Blogs</a> number one site! Check it out. You'll be amazed at all the fun free things you'll find. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/06/digital-freebies.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Service: "ANWA the Incubator" by Liz Adair</span><br /><br />One of the best bargains I’ve come across lately has been the $20 I pay annually as my dues to American Night Writers’ Association (ANWA). One day, I asked Marsha Ward how they could get away with just charging $20 a year for dues. Marsha is an author, but she’s also founder and membership secretary for ANWA. Her reply was succinct: “Volunteers.”<br /><br />ANWA is unique among writers’ groups, because one of the prerequisites to membership is that you are LDS. Another is that you’re a woman. There are no age restrictions. The youngest member was twelve when she joined; the oldest (I’m guessing here) is about 85. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/06/yourldsneighborhood-service-anwa.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports and Recreation: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Lakers and Celtics"</span> by Steve Christensen</span><br /><br />he Playoffs for any sport are always an exciting time. The NBA playoffs are no exception. Each team has a renewed sense of hope, a chance to win the Title, and they get 7 possible chances with each team they play. The players “kick up” their energy and playing level another notch. The crowd seems to get louder and more obnoxious. This is the time of year that most basketball fans look forward to all year long.<br /><br />This year, the teams that made it to the NBA Finals were the Lakers and Celtics. What an awesome rivalry over the years: two of the greatest teams in NBA history squaring it off in 2008. 2 of the NBA’s best players will go head-to-head, Kobe Bryant (this year’s MVP) and Paul Pierce. I am not really a fan of either player, but those 2 should be able to make this year’s Finals pretty exciting. There are also 2 great veteran role players for each team- Kevin Garnett (Celtics) and Derek Fisher (Lakers). -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/06/celtics-and-lakers.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. <strong>Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods®</strong> (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), <strong>cruises</strong>, and more. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-20067304738364978912008-06-17T06:00:00.002-06:002008-06-17T06:08:53.964-06:00On the Newsstands June 16, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "Sorry, Just Any Old Brush Won't Do" by Gaynell Parker</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Okay. I mentioned that I would discuss paint brushes today. How many of you have even looked at paint brushes? That's what I thought. I'm not talking about the cheap things you buy for your kids to do the little water paint pictures with, I'm talking quality brushes that are going to last for a long time.<br /><br />I'm the queen of cheap, honest. It drives my hubby to distraction. He's told me several times in our marriage that one pair of expensive shoes will last three times longer than three pairs of cheap shoes. What he didn't understand is that I like more variety than that -- except when it comes to my painting supplies. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/06/sorry-but-just-any-old-brush-wont-do.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Please, no zits! Anne Bradshaw" by Alison Palmer</span><br /><br />Want a reminder that we are a world wide church with youth that struggle, no matter where they live? Then pick up Please, No Zits by Anne Bradshaw it covers the problems of the average teenager and those that are down right scary.<br /><br /><br />Okay. For me personally, the name and cover aren’t really to my taste but I’m not that young anymore, thank goodness. I asked one of my own teenage girls what she thought of it and she reported that the cover was too busy for her and didn’t really tell her what to expect from the book. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/06/please-no-zits-by-anne-bradshaw.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home and Family: "Clans" by Muriel Sluyter</span><br /><br />Back in Scottish/English history, the never-ending raids over the Border, from first one side and then the other, finally culminated in the Battle of Culloden. The English won and, being in power, decided to put a stop once and for all to the fighting. Now, Scotland had a system of Clans which kept families firmly organized and fighting as a unit.<br /><br />The English, understanding the strength and power which came from the tight, loyal families, took drastic measures to rip the Clans apart. The plaid, the Clan's tartan, could no longer be worn, and the wearing of kilts was outlawed because kilts were made of the individual Clan's tartan. The Scots didn't have to ask which Clan a person belonged to; the tartan was adequate identification. <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/06/clans.html">-- Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "The Art of Egyptian Style" by Nichole Giles</span><br /><br />Cro-Magnon jewelry, which was generally made from bone, rock, and shells. That’s all good and fine for the people who lived 100,000 years ago—I’m just glad to know that people from that time had many of the same impulses that we have today. But the real stuff, the good stuff—which was established and manufactured—started in Egypt, sometime around 3,000-5,000 years ago. By that period of time, jewelry was being made in large workshops attached to temples or palaces, and was commonly worn as a symbol of wealth and religious power within a community.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Interestingly, the people who wore these expensive pieces in life also wore them in death. Burial practices during that time required offerings to the Gods, also known as grave goods, which included jewelry. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/06/art-of-egyptian-style.html">Read More</a><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Landscape Plan Part 3: Other Considerations" by Heather Justesen</span><br /><br />So you have a good idea of what you want to do with your yard, or that trouble spot in your yard—time to start digging, right? Wrong. Before you get the shovel out there are a few caveats you need to consider. What kind of soil do you have?<span style=""> </span>Is it heavy clay, super sandy, filled with rocks, or—as one of my writing friends said about hers—a few inches of soil on top of a lava flow? When you water, where does the water go? Does it puddle up and is it going to end up in your basement (if you have one)?<br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">My ground is very clay, which means digging when the ground is dry is nearly impossible. I’ve found the best way to dig holes is to get it really wet one day, let it dry for part of a day so it’s not slick mess, then dig, because the clay retains moisture really well. It also is very full of nutrients. Unfortunately, it’s a pain for roots to work through and it puddles really easily because it takes a long time for water to soak in. The other difficulty I had with my yard was the rocks. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/06/landscape-plan-part-3-other.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "A Few Things to Add to Your Preparedness List" by Barbara Salsbury</span><br /><br />Has the onslaught of severe storms affecting many parts of the world lately made you think twice? What has the Doplar Weather Radar been predicting for your neighborhood? Perhaps you have recently been prepared to get through a short-term emergency but have already had to use most of the supplies that you had on hand. Are you breathing a sigh of relief because you made it through … this one? Don’t allow complacency or careless forgetfulness to deter your consistent action plans.<br /><br />This year Mother Nature is not alone as she lurks around the corner waiting for us to relax. Her companions are the twins “Les Power” and “Les Fuel”. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/06/few-items-to-add-to-your-preparedness.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "The Musical Sound of Sizzle" by Keith Fisher</span><br /><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"> How could I resist? It was big and shiny, and it pulled me down, down, toward . . . </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> I exercise a ritual every spring—perhaps you do the same. I head to the home improvement store to pick up sprinkler parts. I also check out, (covet rather) the collection of new barbecues. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The store displays thousands of the little beasties, chained together to keep them under control. There are no gags on their mouths, however, so the units call out as they lie in wait for me. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/06/musical-sound-of-sizzle.html">Read More</a><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "That's One Heavy Horse" by C.L. Beck</span><br /><br />As a kid, I always wanted a horse. However, when you live on a lot the size of a Kleenex, in the suburbs of Washington D. C., the neighbors don’t take kindly to the fragrance of road apples.<br /><br />The dream never died and when we moved to Utah, the hunt was on. Our son had never ridden, so a calm, gentle horse was a must. When we explained that to the owner we visited, his family exclaimed in unison, “Spooky!” It was a weird thing to say—as far as I knew, we didn’t look like Lily and Herman Munster. When I realized ‘Spooky’ was the name of their horse, it should have been a clue to the animal’s personality. But I figured maybe they’d named her that because she was born on Halloween. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/06/thats-one-heavy-horse.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "Eternal Perspective" by Rebecca Talley</span><br /><br />Recently, I received an e-mail with several photos of people “holding the sun.” Each photo showed someone with the sun in their hands, between their knees, or on top of their nose. Of course, we can’t hold the sun because, among other things, it’s far too large. But, from the perspective of these photos, it appeared that people were actually doing just that.<br /><br />Objects in the foreground always look larger than what is in the background. A six-foot tree may look as though it looms over mountains in the distance, depending on your perspective. A telephone pole a few feet away may appear much taller than one a mile down the road, even though they are both the same height. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/eternal-perspective.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Cow Camping Adventure" by Cheri Crane</span><br /><br />The following lyrics (sung to the tune of "Home on the Range") pretty much sum up the camping trip my husband and I embarked upon this past week:<br /><br />1st: Oh, give me a camp<br />Where the cow people vamp<br />Where they frolic wherever they roam<br />They run through amuck<br />Ignoring our truck<br />Making our campsite their home. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/06/cow-camping-adventures.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "5 Tips to Better Photos" by Kim Thompson</span><br /><br />Do you want to take better photographs? There are simple ways to make photos more engaging. I recently read an amazing book, Photography for Scrapbookers, by Tracy White. She presented 5 tips for better photos:<br /><br />1- Pick up your camera, hold it to your eye and look around. What do you see? Are there toys on the ground? Are you cropping your husband’s head off as you focus on your little one? Now move the camera around so you eliminate those distractions. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/06/5-tips-to-better-photos.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Wayjay Says Goodbye" by Liz Adair</span><br /><br />We had family here over the weekend. Lots of family. It used to be no big deal, when we had a big old farmhouse with lots of bedrooms, three sitting rooms, and a barn. That was before The Big Downsize when we sold the farm and moved to town.<br /><br />However, we managed to find a place for everyone to be more or less horizontal at night, and I cooked for everyone in my postage stamp kitchen. I had forgotten what it was like to be mother to that big a brood: how many dishes get dirtied, how much food has to be prepared, how many dirty clothes there are to wash, how messy the house gets. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/06/yourldsneighborhood-service-wayjays.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "Jack Black and Kung Fu Panda" by Linda Scanlan</span><br /><br />What do you get when two satellite engineers meet? It's impossible to see the end result.<br /><br />Jack Black was the literal result of two satellite engineers, marrying and having a child. For those of you who regularly watch Black's movies, we are talking about Hubble satellite technology and not dish satellite technology.<br /><br />Jack Black has made "title" waves at the box office with films such as "Nacho Libre", "School of Rock" and "Shallow Hal". His newest release "Kung Fu Panda" has been talked about in my household for the past two months ever since my children (all teens and older) saw the previews in theater. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/06/jack-black-and-kung-fu-panda.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "The Love of a Father" by Steve Christensen</span><br /><br />Every so often you hear or read a story that makes you feel good inside and may even bring tears to your eyes. I came across such a story a few months ago. It is a story of a father who gave something to his son that was very special. His son was disabled at birth being strangled by the umbilical cord. His name is Rick Hoyt and his father’s name is Dick Hoyt. You may have already heard this story or seen the video on YouTube, but I was able to do a little research on this man and his son and found some other very interesting details that you might not be aware of.<br /><br />When Dick first took his son Rick for a run, by pushing him in his wheelchair, he was sore for weeks. But then Rick typed “Dad, when we were running, I felt like I wasn’t disabled anymore”. -- <a href="http://stevesportsbreak.blogspot.com/2008/06/love-of-father.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Weddings: "Cowboy Up and Be a Man" by Muriel Sluyter</span><br /><br /><span><span>To fathers, wherever you may be: You are your daughters’ prototype of Heavenly Father and our Savior. They cannot see the Savior, but they can see you. They will judge Him by your actions, by your integrity, by your very character. If you fail them and Him, they will fail both you and Him. That is, admittedly, a heavy load, in fact, a heavy eternal assignment, but it is the assignment you shouldered the day you became the father of a brand new little girl. Your task? Don’t moan. Don’t cry or try to escape your responsibility. Just cowboy-up and be a real man. Get the job done! Be your little girls’ example of what they can expect from their loving Savior, Who actually will require much of them during their mortal life. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-cowboy-up-and-be-man.html">Read More</a></span></span><span><span><br /><br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfU5L5zsTzhslkQD3OUL1JIZE-qJ9XbMrKoABSYF0pBylQdfYnqEiflBxg3CQEyO3CiJQx9Oo0DLpKicGDk1mWeemVsAofx2G3-eA45FLsoIrXLweoYacva3zqjqCD5BX8Y9PfKKVCZg/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211726803714347858" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. <strong>Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods®</strong> (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), <strong>cruises</strong>, and more. <p>Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>.</p> <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-10500835865771411642008-06-13T06:00:00.007-06:002008-06-14T07:26:19.082-06:00On the Newsstands June 12, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "It's Ama-za-zing-A Little Water, a Little Color<span style="font-weight: bold;">" by Gaynell Parker</span></span><br /><br />I'm terrible when it comes to names. Ask my children. It's even worse when it's the name of something, such as a paint color.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />When I first started painting, I had no idea there were so many shades of red: Carmine, Grumbacher Red, Vermillion, Indian Red, Rose Madder and my favorite, (the tube is almost gone) Alizarin Crimson. You'll notice none of them were just plain red. And that's just what I use, I know there's lots more available.<br /><br />In my ignorance, I figured they were all shades of the same color. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/06/its-amaz-za-zing-little-water-little.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "The Peacegiver and The Holy Secret" by Alison Palmer</span><br /><br />Have you read The Peacegiver by James L. Ferrell? This book quickly became a bestseller among LDS fiction and rightly so. It’s a sweet book of redemption. It tells the story of a man, a simple man just like many of us, who needs to understand who his Savior really is. He needs to learn what Christ is capable of accomplishing in his life if given the chance.<br /><br />That’s a lesson most of us need to learn. It’s easy to forget, or feel unworthy of what we see or read about the Savior. It seems like another place, another time, another more humble and deserving individual. That’s the place the main character, Rick Carson, finds himself. He is lost in his own sorrow and bitterness for what feels like a failed marriage and a failed life. -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/06/peacegiver-and-holy-secret.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing: "Clothing Enhances the Woman, but Does Not Make the Woman" by Candace E. Salima</span><span><br /><br /></span>Let's face facts. We all have those days where our hair is perfect, our makeup Hollywood perfect and our clothes drape on us as we were a New York fashion model, except for the toothpick thin anorexic look, which doesn't look good on anyone.<br /><br />I love a stylish set of clothes as much as the next woman. I'm not immune to that fantastic feeling which comes over you when you step out of the house like you're going to conquer the world. But I'm much more comfortable in a pair of faded 501s, shirt and sandals. Either way, I can still walk out my front door and conquer the world. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/06/clothing-enhance-woman-but-does-not.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home and Family: "Feedin the Wrong Wolf" by Muriel Sluyter</span><br /><br />A Cherokee Elder was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said, "A fight is going on inside me... it is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego."<br /><br />"The other wolf stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith." -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/06/feeding-wrong-wolf.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Cro-Magnon Adornments" by Nichole Giles</span><span><br /><br />In my blog, Historical Treasures, I promised a discussion about jewelry worn during the Cro-Magnon period. Before I launch into that, let me share a few random thoughts. It is not only women who are drawn to jewelry.<br /><br />Very often, when people think of jewelry, they picture a sparkling gem, a pendant hanging from a chain, and other delicate, feminine forms of adornment. However, jewelry, by definition is any kind of body adornment—including but not limited to patches, badges, hair accessories, watches, hats (or headdresses, depending on the time period) decorative parasols, canes, purses, belts, shields, breastplates, money clips, wallets, buckles, buttons, and on and on and on. -- <a href="http://fairysqueak.blogspot.com/2008/06/cro-magnon-adornments.html">Read More</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Landscape Part 2-Putting it on paper" by Heather Justesen</span><span><br /><br /></span>In my last blog, I discussed the importance of an over-all landscape plan before you begin to make changes. There are several reasons for this, but the most important reason is so you don’t have to redo some of the work later due to poor planning.<br /><br />You can see my landscape plan, a plan I drew up early in 2007, and worked on over the course of several months. It’s light because I drew it all in pencil—much easier to make changes that way. I drew it on graph paper and used every 1/8th-inch square to represent one square foot in my yard. I measured out sidewalks, driveway, the house and walkways. It doesn’t have the precision of an architects rendering, by any means, and I have made a few changes in the yard that aren’t reflecting in the plan, but overall, it’s my map. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/06/landscape-plan-part-2-putting-it-on.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "Summer: A Time for Picnics and Preparedness" by Barbara Salsbury</span><br /><br />My blog title the 3 P’s in a Pod stands for Practical, Personal Preparedness. In today’s blog it can be for Playing, Picnics and Preparedness. As schools get out and the weather warms up thoughts usually turn to vacations, family and fun..<br /><br />I have a suggestion to make. As you plan how your budgets will be stretched or tightened in order to take those family trips or have weekend picnics, add your preparedness program to the top of those lists. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/06/summer-time-for-picnics-and.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "Tinfoil Treasures" by Keith Fisher</span><span><br /></span><p> In this blog, I’ve talked about all things outdoors when it comes to cooking. I’m reminded today, of my teenage years—when cooking at scout camp meant burned food, poor cleanup, and starvation. If I only knew then, what I know now . . . </p><p>In scout camp, I learned a few vital lessons. One of them was; unless you’re roasting hotdogs, a roaring fire is not the place to cook your food. The heat of it drives you back, the smoke is hard to breathe, and you have to dodge the people standing around. I’ve since learned to trust the heat from coals. -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/06/tinfoil-treasures.html">Read More<br /></a></p><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Weirdness in the Universe" by C.L. Beck</span><br /><br />Some say that Latter-day Saints live in their own little universe. I say it isn’t so. Let me tell you, if we lived in our own world, we’d make sure it was a lot more logical than this one!<br /><br />The universe we currently reside in is filled with weirdness, and it only seems to be getting weirder. I came to that realization the other day after eating some mixed nuts. It prompted me to make a list of the illogical things in life. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/06/weirdness-in-universe.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "Warming Our Neighbors" by Rebecca Talley</span><span><br /><br /></span>Some years ago (more than I’d like to admit), I was a young mother with two small children. My husband had been offered a job in another state so we moved our little family. We hadn’t lived in our new ward for long when the missionaries stopped by. We invited them in and they shared a short message with us about being member missionaries. They then asked us to make a list of 10 names and to pray about the names until we had a list of 5 names. They said they would return the following week and for our list of 5 names and the times we could set up appointments for them to teach the people on our list. -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/warming-our-neighbors.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Revel in Reunions" by Cheri Crane</span><br /><br />A huge summer tradition for most families is the ever-popular, (oft-times made fun of) reunion. Mentioning this word can trigger a variety of memories. Truthfully, some of my fondest recollections of past summers involve reunions. As I was growing up, I always looked forward to the annual Sibbett reunion. This meant camping in a cool location like Alpine, Wyoming, eating lots of good food, and the yearly program. The Sibbett program involved a lot of music, humorous readings, and dancing. It was usually concluded by my grandfather and his brothers getting up to sing funny songs like, "My Nose Stuck Out a Feet," or the traditional: "Pinto Pony," a song written about the Grays Lake area, the place where they grew up. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/06/revel-in-reunions.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "Scrapbook Blogger" by Kim Thompson</span><br /><br />What is a mommy blogger?<br /><br />A mommy blogger is a small part of the blogging world that consists of moms who blog about their children. Some mother’s blog about daily activities, and others only record major milestones in their children’s lives. Other mommy blogs cover a variety of subjects, including their children. The blogs are as varied and unique as the women who write them. But they are all an amazing look into the life of being a mother. -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/06/scrapbook-blogger.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Services: "Praying for a Computer Tech" by Liz Adair</span><br /><br />So, here’s the scenario: You’re a free-lance writer and editor. You own a laptop and a desktop, and though you do lots of work on your laptop, your desktop is the brains of your outfit. All your writing is housed and archived there. When the laptop crashes, it’s inconvenient but not earth shattering. Though the budget is skinny, you manage to scrape enough money together to replace it. However, when the desktop goes gunny sack the next week, things look very, very black. Jet black. Inky. Is there another way to intensify the word? Super black, because, since you’re always working right up against a deadline, you never have time to install a really good, fail-safe, automatic, back-up system. It’s always at the head of your Good Intentions List, because you know how important it is. But you never get around to it. -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/06/yourldsneighborhood-service-praying-for.html">Read More<br /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "Return with Honor" by Linda Scanlan</span><br /><br />Isn't life funny in that what you so carefully plan out for yourself, seems rarely to happen the way it is planned. This summer was to have been a fast moving action filled summer scheduled with girls camp, art camp, family reunion, boating and fishing. All of that was for June. This schedule was planned as skillfully as choreography in a musical is planned.<br /><br />Enter one emergency surgery. Out the window goes the elegant meal planning for guest. No longer is the routine bulletin easily completed. Laundry becomes the stereo-typical mountainous chore that has depressed women from the beginning of time. Nothing is on schedule. The train has derailed and the station is no where in sight. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/06/lds-movie-return-with-honor.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Sports: "Backyard Baseball Memories" by Rachelle Christensen</span><span><br /><br />I love playing baseball. I don’t really like watching it—don’t boo—it’s just I’d rather hit the ball than watch it on the screen. But my favorite kind of baseball is the backyard baseball of my youth. I grew up on a farm and our house sat on about 3 acres of various pastures for our horses and cows, so we had to improvise a little when we played.<br /><br />We had a huge back yard which is about the size of a regular building lot nowadays. We had room for all 3 bases, even if it wasn’t regulation distance. The plates were definitely not regulation either. We used paper bags, pieces of paper, whatever we could find—but the best was when a little old lady that loved to crochet made a special “base” for my little brother. She put something on it to make the yarn really hard and we about wore that thing out. -- <a href="http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/backyard-baseball-memories.html">Read More</a></span><span><span><br /><br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wusvQVDexldYqN4GQ2qahaTjc5Gcu2fTyXzqsf8WrFn91NAu0sV9o1GbQr55rKeu5ECSvEofzFlfC8gB-HqJv0wCPk0ok0ZpykNALvvo15DENkMl8H4pGL37L4J1QVWQHmY27PuIW58/s400/shop_now_230.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211727424816362642" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. <strong>Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods®</strong> (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), <strong>cruises</strong>, and more. <p>Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>.</p><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270954641501389723.post-41040978232616318582008-06-10T06:00:00.004-06:002008-06-14T07:11:58.394-06:00On the Newsstands June 9, 2008<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Art: "Art and Beauty with Spiritual Eyes" by Gaynell Parker</span><br /><br />I was gazing out at my back yard which is decked out in green to celebrate the onset of summer, when it occurred to me -- A lot of what we view as art is sometimes a spiritual thing.<br /><br />We've all heard the phrase that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think it goes even deeper than that. How many times have you been listening to a classical, instrumental or vocal piece of music and been moved to tears?<br /><br />It's not a visual thing. It's not something that has to be held in your hands. It's in the spirit. -- <a href="http://ldspaz.blogspot.com/2008/06/art-and-beauty-with-spiritual-eyes.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books: "Jaroldeen Ssplund Edwards" by Alison Palmer</span><br /><br />Have you ever heard of the <a href="http://discipleship.ldsblogs.com/2008/06/05/the-daffodil-principle">Daffodil Principle</a>? I’d almost be surprised if you hadn’t. Just for fun I did a quick internet search for just those words and came up with 165,000 results. The Daffodil Principle is a way of looking at our lives and goals. It helps us see what we can accomplish with just two hands and two feet. It helps us see the beauty of what we do accomplish every day. I love daffodils and I love the principle behind this message.<br /><br />I was first introduced to the Daffodil Principle<span style=""> </span>in its smaller form as a sweet chapter in Sister Edward’s book <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/CELEBRATION-Ten-Principles-of-More-Joyous-Living_W0QQitemZ110002199778QQcmdZViewItem"><i style="">Celebration!</i></a><span style=""> </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span>As a young mother, it was one of the few resources I read that actually made me feel good about where I was on my journey of life and my ability to do just exactly what the Lord needed me to do.<span style=""> </span>I picked it up at the bookstore in a moment of discouragement thinking, “If a woman with 12 children can find ways to celebrate every day, I want to know her secret.”<span style=""></span> -- <a href="http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2008/06/jaroldeen-asplund-edwards.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothing: "Is Modesty a Thing of the Past" by Candace E. Salima</span><br /><br />We live in a world where modesty seems to be a thing of the past. I look around, even in bastians of Christian communities where it would seem the standards are higher, and still, the skirts grow shorter, the shirts skimpier and the daughters of God look more and more like the women of the world, even, one might say, ancient Babylon. And yet, it grows more difficult to find clothing one considers modest, yet attractive.<br /><br />With the latest brouhaha over Miley Cyrus' Vanity Fair photo shoot it has brought a few points home to me. -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/06/is-modesty-thing-of-past.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home and Family: "Brothers Fight Back to Back" by Muriel Sluyter<br /><br /></span>A mother of my acquaintance, in an attempt to keep her twin sons from fighting, told them that brothers only fight back to back. The boys tried mightily to follow her instructions. Soon, in a state of extreme frustration, they returned. Turning their backs to each other, they demonstrated the impossibility of landing a blow no matter how they tried, and, oh, how they tried!<br /><br />Even though we all had a good chuckle, the principle remains intact. Brothers should never fight, except back to back. To whom does this apply? Obviously, it applies to siblings and, yes, their parents as well. All homes would benefit from parents who never fight with, but only for, each other even though that principle (a correct one) has little credibility these days. -- <a href="http://murielsluyter.blogspot.com/2008/06/brothers-fight-back-to-back.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jewelry: "Historical Treasures" by Nichole Giles</span><br /><br />Last weekend we finally took our kids to see “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.” Only our oldest son had seen even a portion of any of the previous three, and so none of the kids had any expectations for the outcome of this one. Gary and I were not so fortunate. Sadly, I found myself disappointed.<br /><br />However, as in all of the great Indiana Jones stories, there were a handful of scenes in which the main characters come across a horde of treasure. Now, part of the reason people love Indiana Jones so much is because of the way he reacts when he sees the treasures. He doesn’t look at the piles of gold and jewels as his chance to be rich. On this point, I wasn’t disappointed. When Indy entered the treasure filled cavern, he walked around in wonder, recognizing the pottery, sculptures, artwork, and jewelry as an archeologists dream come true. -- <a href="http://fairysqueek.blogspot.com/2008/06/historical-treasures.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Gardening & Landscaping: "Planning Your Landscape" by Heather Justesen</span><br /><br />I mentioned last week that I've had the opportunity to landscape two yards from the beginning—actually, we didn't finish the first yard before we moved, but I had my plans.<br /><br />Whether you're starting a new yard from dirt and rocks (or rocks, rocks, more rocks, and a little dirt in the cracks as my current yard is made of), or you want to make some changes to only a small section of your property, it's important to start with an all-over plan. -- <a href="http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2008/06/planning-your-landscape.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Department Store/Preparedness: "Some Bewareness Needed for Evacuation Kits" by Barbara Salsbury</span><br /><br />With so much going on in the world that affects the level of panic we have toward whether or not we are prepared, I thought it time to give you a few hints about 72-hour kits.<br /><br />First, most likely, the title or name that has been accepted as “The Name” for these kits is incorrect or at least a misnomer. As you consider putting together a “72-hour Kit” you must recognize that the kit most likely will need to contain supplies and foods for a situation that can extend much longer than three days. -- <a href="http://barbarasalsbury.blogspot.com/2008/06/some-bewareness-needed-for-evacaution.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Dutch Oven: "Easy Cobbler or Faking Your Way Into Fame" by Keith Fisher</span><br /><p> Last time, we talked about having fun while you cook for large groups. One of the ways it can be more fun is to make it easy on yourself. There are many shortcuts and cheats you can use, and I’m going to tell you one. </p><p>How many of you have been to an event where somebody makes Dutch oven cobbler and it’s delicious? Have you noticed how many people rave over it and don’t care how it’s made? Did you also know that most of those cobblers are really what we should call dump cake? -- <a href="http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/2008/06/easy-cobbler-or-faking-your-way-into.html">Read More</a></p><span style="font-weight: bold;">LDS Outlets/Humor: "Finding New Canyon Lake" by C.L. Beck</span><br /><br />In the 23 years we’ve lived in Utah, we’ve never found the local fishing hole named New Canyon Lake. The last time we tried, we had a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and we still ended up light years away.<br /><br />The time before that was even more interesting. It went something like this:<br /><br />“Did you bring the map?” I asked my husband, Russ. -- <a href="http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/2008/06/finding-new-canyon-lake.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Missionary: "Ideas to Assist Missionaries" by Rebecca Talley</span><br /><br />When Elder and Sister Vaughan J. Featherstone were serving a mission in Texas, Sister Featherstone was feeling frustrated that she couldn’t find any time for herself. She was so busy with her mission duties, she couldn’t find any time to devote to herself. She prayed about it, and the answer came that this was not her time, it was the Lord’s time. She then realized that she needed to focus completely on her mission and not worry about herself. (Ensign, Nov. 1978, pg. 26). -- <a href="http://rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/2008/06/ideas-to-assist-missionaries.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Neighbors: "Scotland Forever. . ." by Cheri Crane</span><br /><br />Ah yes, it is time to discuss a bit of culture. Since my Scottish roots go extremely deep, I decided to begin with some fun tidbits about my heritage. At an early age I was told by my mother that we had Scottish ancestors. Her grandmother, Agnes Colston, was a native of Scotland. Agnes and her mother were intrigued by the LDS Church, an interest not shared by Agnes' father. My second-great grandmother possessed a feisty, independent nature, and when her husband forbad her to have anything to do with the LDS Church, she sent their daughter (Agnes) with the Mormon missionaries who were on their way back to the United States. This did not set well with my second great-grandfather. =) Soon both mother and daughter were on their way to the States. They eventually linked up with the Church and journeyed West. Thanks to their courage we have a strong link to a wonderful legacy. -- <a href="http://crane-ium.blogspot.com/2008/06/scotland-forever.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scrapbooking: "Summertime Fun" by Kim Thompson</span><br /><br />Are your kids out of school and looking for something fun to do? There are tons of amazing kids scrapbooking and craft activities you can sign up for at local craft stores. I checked out three stores in the Utah area to see what they offered to help keep your kids busy this summer. Look what I found: -- <a href="http://scribbledscraps.blogspot.com/2008/06/summer-fun.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Service: "Small Random Acts of Kindness" by Liz Adair</span><br /><br />My guest blogger today is Dr. Ron Shook, Associate Professor of English at Utah State University. He's also my brother. When I told him I was yourLDSneighborhood's blogger on service, he began telling me his theory of the Good Samaritan. "Don't tell me," I interrupted. "Blog it." So he did.<br /><br />This is his blog: One evening I’m standing in the regular line at the grocery story with one item. I think I had a loaf of bread. It was a Saturday, which meant that all the families in the area were loading up for the weekend; -- <a href="http://sezlizadair.blogspot.com/2008/06/yourldsneighborhood-service-small.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation/Movies: "Movies, Scriptures and Prophecy" by Linda Scanlan</span><br /><br />This past week I underwent an emergency surgical procedure, which has left me with a little more time on my hands than usual; hence more research has occurred. This blog is a result of that research and thought process.<br /><br />Have all of you seen "I am Legend" with Will Smith? A Sci Fi adventure film about New York City being annihilated and left with only mutated beings in control. Then there is Will Smith struggling to survive by day, and locked in tight at night. -- <a href="http://focusonone.blogspot.com/2008/06/movies-scriptures-and-prophecy.html">Read More</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sports & Recreation: "Sports, Sports and More Sports" by Candace E. Salima<br /><br /></span>I live in a house with a husband, nephew and a "missionary son*." I'm surrounded by men, no question and it's a unique experience. You can probably guess where I'm headed with this. Two of the three men in my home love sports. Especially the Lakers. Me, I'm a Jazz fan. But unlike BYU football, I never miss a game, I've had to listen to these Lakers fans hoot and holler because their team is taking it all the way to the top. Which is completely besides the point, because I do actually have one.<br /><br />I'm a wife. That's my calling. I'm a writer. That's my profession. I'm a homemaker . . . that's my curse. (I really hate to clean. Hate it! Hate it! Hate it!) -- <a href="http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2008/06/sports-sports-and-more-sports.html">Read More</a><br /><span><span><br /><br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 149px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhON79izWt071h804_plV3uMEZ_jnuePLd_pbSOcJqKAdPJh82zaQnjkbbW4-BNqvllyHWAlx3_1bL-sCiROUau2JQaFC6Sp6m3jCINCsotnkoR4fl05TIMMSqIyEaE6uumC9S-p-gm8SM/s400/shop_now_216.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211723209403634674" border="0" /></a><a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Subscribe.aspx">Join the Neighborhood Newsletter</a> . . . Subscriptions are free and joining is easy. Just by signing up and maintaining your subscription to receive the <strong>yourLDSneighborhood.com</strong> newsletter, you become eligible for our "Thank You" prizes. <strong>Our dozens of giveaways range from a trip for two to China, to iPods®</strong> (each with a $50 gift certificate for LDS music), <strong>cruises</strong>, and more. <p>Learn about our amazing monthly, quarterly, and annual giveaways by <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/Promotions.aspx">clicking here</a>.</p> <a href="http://yourldsneighborhood.com/">Return to the Neighborhood.</a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0